GHFUST All 

ARD IN ALh+jr 

W. Letterman Smith 




Glass. 
Book. 



•u 



Gopyright^°_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



CHRIST ALL 
AND IN ALL 

BY 

W. LETTERMAN SMITH 




BROADWAY PUBLISHING CO. 

885 Broadivay, Neiv York 



191 1 






Copyright, 191 1, 

By 

W. Letterman Smith. 



ICLA300950 



e 3 - 



ANTESCRIPT. 

This is a plain book for plain people. 

The subject is one of vast scope and of in- 
estimable importance. No attempt has been 
made to treat it exhaustively. It is hoped, how- 
ever, that enough is presented to stimulate the 
reader to further study and research along this 
line; and, above all, that they who read may be 
fully persuaded of the fact that "Christ is all, 
and in all"; that he is the Christ of God, the 
Saviour of men ; and that so believing may be led 
to admit the Christ into heart and life that each 
in his own individual experience may prove that 
Christ is indeed all, and in all. 

Note. — In the study of Christ in Philosophy 
the author received help, which he gratefully 
acknowledges, from the works of Robert Hicks, 
"Stoic and Epicurean Philosophy"; E. Zeller, 
"Socrates and the Socratic School"; John Dol- 
linger, "Gentile and Jew in the Courts of the 
Temple" ; Dr. W. Windelband, "History of An- 
cient Philosophy"; M. DeWulf, "History of 
Mediaeval Philosophy"; and Stuckenberg, "In- 
troduction to the Study of Philosophy." 

Suggestions were also received from "Christ 
in Prophecy, History and Typology," by Prof. 
N. C. Brcoks, LL.D. 



CONTENTS. 



I. Christ All 



PAGE 

7 



II. Christ in All 2j 



1. Christ 

2. Christ 

3. Christ 

4. Christ 

5. Christ 

6. Christ 

7. Christ 

8. Christ 

9. Christ 

10. Christ 

11. Christ 

12. Christ 

13. Christ 

14. Christ 

15. Christ 

16. Christ 



n Nature 2j 

n Type 30 

n Prophecy 39 

n the Gospels 48 

n the Epistles 63 

n the Revelation 70 

n the Church 78 

n History 88 

n Literature and Song ... 96 

n Art 104 

n Science 109 

n Philosophy in 

n the Life 127 

the Center of Union 130 

the Hope of the World. . . 133 

in Glory 135 



Cfjrist mi anb 3n mi 



I. 

CHRIST ALL. 

"Christ/' says the Apostle Paul, "is all, and in 
all" (Colossians, 3:11). And of himself Jesus 
the Christ declared, "I am Alpha and Omega, 
the first and the last, the beginning and the end- 
ing" (Revelation, 1 : 11 and 8). — The all, and in 
all. This is a tremendous claim, which no one 
before or since has dared to make. Can it be 
substantiated ? 

No one in all the ages has so attracted the 
attention and fixed the gaze of men, concen- 
trated their thought upon himself, touched and 
moulded their characters and lives, and influ- 
enced them to such an extent as this Jesus, who 
is called the Christ. Leave him and his religion 
out of human history and individual lives and 
the residue would be poor and worthless indeed. 
The loss would be irreparable. So that in all 
fairness it may be said, as Paul puts it, that 
"Christ is all, and in all." 



Clmst 311 anD 3tt ail 

The mighty uplifting forces among men are 
all pervaded by his Spirit. The charitable and 
benevolent work being done, the great mission- 
ary movements carried on for the betterment 
of mankind are all inspired and accompanied by 
his Spirit. The blessed ministry in which he 
was engaged when here in the flesh he is carry- 
ing on still, but in ever increasing measure, 
through his Church, which is composed of in- 
dividual believers. 

In the light of history the claim is fully justi- 
fied that, with the single exception of sin, "Christ 
is all, and in all/' And even the evil he restrains 
and overrules for the good of his people. He 
makes the wrath of man to praise him and the 
remainder of wrath does he restrain (Psalm, 
76:10). 

If Jesus was a good man and spake the truth, 
as even most of his enemies admit, then we must 
believe him when, in language unmistakable, he 
declares himself to be one with the Father. "I 
and my Father are one," is his bold assertion 
(John, 10:30). He claims Divinity, therefore; 
and as Divine accepts the homage and adoration 
of men (John, 20:28; Luke, 24:52; Matthew, 
28: 9 and 17). As one with the Father he made 
all things, "And without him was not anything 
made that was made" (John, 1:3). "He is be- 
fore all things, and by him all things consist" 
(Colossians, 1 : 17). 

On no other ground than that Christ was very 
God can the many Books of the Holy Scriptures 

8 



ggtfet an ana in an 

be harmonized and made one Book; and the 
teachings of Christianity be unified and rendered 
symmetrical and complete. On no other ground 
either is it possible to clear up many of the mys- 
teries of life, of providence, of destiny. 

The beginning of all things, Christ is the end 
of all things, as well. He is "The end of the law 
for righteousness to every one that believeth" 
(Romans, 10:4). All things shall come to pass 
according to his word (Mark, 13:31). And 
he will finally wind up the affairs of earth (Mat- 
thew, 25:31-46. Revelation, 6:15-17). 

CHRIST IS ALL. 

1. All life centers in the Christ. 

Christ is life. In him is life in all its fullness, 
richness, perfection ; and from him, as the stream 
from the fountain, proceed all natural and spirit- 
ual life. 

He is the Bread of life for hungry souls, heav- 
enly Manna for heavenly pilgrims (John, 6:48- 
51). He is the Resurrection and the Life (John, 
11:25). He is the very Light of life, bringing 
life and immortality to light through the Gospel 
(II. Timothy, 1:10). He, as one with the 
Father, "Giveth to all life, and breath, and all 
things'' (Acts, 17:25). "He that hath the Son 
hath life" — life eternal (I. John, 5 : 12) ; and shall 
never see death, never be hurt of the second 
death (John, 11:26; Revelation, 2:11). 

Christ, coming down from heaven, gives life 



efttfst an ana an an 

to all the world. To believe on him is to have 
everlasting life; and he that followeth after him 
shall have the light of life (John, 20:31; John, 
8:12). 

The very purpose of his coming to earth was 
that men might have life, and that they might 
have it more abundantly (John, 10: 10). 

To have Christ, then, is to have life — life spir- 
itual, life eternal. Everlasting life is Christ's 
rich gift offered freely unto all men without 
money and without price. 

2. All light centers in Christ. 

Christ is light. The myriad lamps of the sky 
— suns, moons, stars, which he made and pre- 
serves — shine only by light reflected from him. 
Without Christ no light, but blackness of dark- 
ness unimaginable. 

Not only is Christ the source of all natural 
light, but he is, also, the source of all mental 
light. He quickens the minds of men, stirs with- 
in them the desire and purpose to know, starts 
them out on the quest for knowledge, and helps 
them to attain unto it. He illumines the mind, 
too, revealing many of the "hidden things." 
Every thought Christ expressed was as a ray of 
light shot forth from the innermost recesses of 
Divine wisdom and truth. 

Christ is the source of all moral light. He 
shines into every soul, and "Lighteth every man 
that cometh into the world" (John, 1 : 9.) — Every 
man. So that no man cometh into the world 
without some light, however dim it may be; 

10 



e&ttgt an ano m an 

without some moral discernment between right 
and wrong, without some knowledge to distin- 
guish between good and evil. 

The Sun of righteousness arose with healing in 
his wings; and they that sat in darkness saw a 
great light. And the stronger the Christ-light 
shines upon any people or individual the more in- 
telligence, culture and refinement are manifest; 
and, better still, a higher standard of morality 
and spirituality. True, there have been peoples 
without the religion of Christ who have attained 
to a high degree of civilization and intelligence, 
as Egypt, Babylon, Rome and, a more striking 
example still, Greece. But their morality was of 
a very low type, and consequently their religion 
was base, corrupt, sensual. 

Where the light has been partially obstructed 
by superstition and ignorance there is always a 
corresponding lowering of morals and religion. 
It is, therefore, in proportion as the pure light 
from Christ is allowed to stream in upon the peo- 
ple, and the individual, that the higher standard 
of morality and religion is reached ; and this, too, 
is joined with the higher form of intelligence, 
civilization, culture. We have only to place Nor- 
way, Sweden, Holland, Germany, Great Britain, 
Australia, Canada, the United States of America, 
the great Protestant Christian Countries where 
the light of Christ has been allowed to shine the 
brightest, without let or hindrance, beside Italy, 
Austria, Portugal, Spain, and the Latin-Ameri- 
can Countries, where the light of Christ is so 

II 



Christ gn gng an an 

largely obscured by ignorance and superstition 
and sin, to behold the marked superiority of the 
former over the latter. Not that these Protest- 
ant peoples are altogether perfect. Far from 
it. But in them the less obstructed light has 
produced far richer and more abundant fruit 
unto the honor and glory of God. 

Christ makes plain the path of duty, illumines 
the way of righteousness, reveals the truth, sets 
forth the will of God, and will bring out into his 
marvelous light the hidden things of darkness, 
and make manifest the counsels of the hearts of 
men. 

Moreover, Christ is the source of all spiritual 
light. By him the spirit of man is enlightened, 
is enabled to see visions of unseen things, is 
brought out of darkness into his marvellous light, 
even into the light and liberty of the sons of 
God. 

When upon earth Christ made the blind to see. 
What a marvellous work was that! But more 
wonderful still, he makes the spiritually blind to 
see. They who believe in Christ no longer walk 
in darkness. They are the children of light, and 
walk in the light. 

Without Christ, therefore, darkness, gloom, 
despair : with Christ light, joy, peace, assurance. 

"I am the light of the world," said Jesus the 
Christ. So he has been, so he is to-day, so he 
ever will be. And upon him man is dependent 
for light of every sort — natural, mental, moral, 
spiritual. 

12 



Cfttfgt an anD an au 

"Never shone a light so fair; 
Never shone a light so bright ; 
Never shone a light so far." 

3. All power centers in Christ. 

Christ is the power of God. All power in 
heaven and on earth is his, and goes forth from 
him as the source of all. "All things were made 
by him, and without him was not anything made 
that was made." "By the word of the Lord were 
the heavens made; and all the host of them by 
the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the 
waters of the sea together as an heap : he layeth 
up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth 
fear the Lord : let all the inhabitants of the world 
stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was 
done; he commanded, and it stood fast" (Psalm, 
33:6-9). "And the Lord God formed man of 
the dust of the ground, and breathed into his 
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a 
living soul" (Genesis, 2:7). 

Christ is declared to be the Son of God with 
power, and such he proved himself to be. His 
very word was with power, and his miracles were 
works of Divine power. He made the lame to 
walk, the deaf to hear, the blind to see. Sick- 
ness and disease came and went at his bidding. 
The dead he raised to life. And yet more won- 
derful still, he called dead souls into newness 
of life, and infused into them something of his 
own mighty energy. 

Christ had power over his own life to lay it 

13 



Cftttet ail ant) Sit 311 

down and to take it up again. Through his 
death and triumphant resurrection he destroyed 
death, gave it its mortal wound, from which it 
has been slowly dying ever since. He shall put 
down all rule and all authority and power that 
may rise against him, "For he must reign till 
he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last 
enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (I. Corin- 
thians, 15 : 25 and 26). Not only did he conquer 
death, but also "Him that had the power of 
death, that is the devil" (Hebrews, 2: 14). 

He has power on earth to forgive sins (Mat- 
thew, 9:6). This power of forgiveness he exer- 
cises only toward those who are alive upon the 
earth, so that beyond death there is no possibil- 
ity of forgiveness, and hence of salvation. And 
this forgiveness is conditioned upon repentance 
and faith. He is the very power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth. This same 
Jesus Christ gives repentance, faith and salvation 
— all of them the free gifts of his love and mercy. 
Unto all who truly believe and repent he gives 
power to become the sons of God (John, 1 : 12 
and 13). 

Now that he has triumphantly ascended into 
heaven he is seated on the middle throne of God- 
head, at the right hand of the majesty on high, 
the place of preeminence, authority and power. 

On the brow of the man Christ Jesus rested 
many crowns — the crown of thorns, the crown 
of humility, the crown of service, the crown of 
vicarious suffering. But these many crowns of 

14 



€w$t m and m an 

earth have been exchanged for the many crowns 
which God only wears — the crown of universal 
sovereignty, the crown of omnipotence, the 
crown of omniscience, the crown of grace, the 
crown of supernal glory. 

He is the Lord of Sabaoth, Commander of 
the hosts of the Lord. Moreover, he is head 
of all principality and power: "Having spoiled 
principalities and powers, he made a show of 
them openly, triumphing over them in himself" 
(Colossians, 2: 15). "Who is gone into heaven, 
and is on the right hand of God ; angels and au- 
thorities and powers being made subject unto 
him" (I. Peter, 3:22). The demons of hell, 
and even the devil himself, are subject unto him 
(Matthew, 4:24). 

He will come again, not as the Babe of Beth- 
lehem, but as the mighty Conqueror, the Ruler 
of all, the great Judge, the Almighty God in the 
clouds with great power and glory, attended by 
all the holy angels and ten thousands of his 
saints (Matthew, 25 : 31 ; Jude, 14 and 15). 

To be on his side, therefore, is to be on the 
side of infinite power and might. And of this 
Divine power man stands in hourly need to keep 
him from the tenacious grasp of evil, and the 
evil one, and to enable him to grow and develop 
more and more into the likeness of Christ day 
by day. 

4. All wisdom centers in Christ. 

Christ is not only the power of God, but the 
wisdom of God, as well. And he is the power 

15 



eati0t an ana an an 

of God and the wisdom of God unto salvation 
to every one that believeth (I. Corinthians, 
1 : 24) . All wisdom may be traced back to him, 
the source of all. "In whom are hid all the 
treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colos- 
sians, 2:3). 

The words he spake were shot through with 
the matchless wisdom of God. "Never man 
spake like this man," was the testimony of the 
Roman officers (John, 7: 46). "The people were 
astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them 
as one having authority, and not as the scribes" 
(Matthew, 7:29). 

Grace was poured into his lips, and gracious 
words proceeded out of his mouth — words of 
Divine comfort, cheer, hope, salvation: words, 
too, of severe denunciation of wrong, of Divine 
condemnation upon the evil doer. 

His speech was "Always with grace seasoned 
with salt," so that he knew how rightly to di- 
vide the word of truth, and to answer every 
question, even the unexpressed questionings of 
mind and heart (Colossians, 4:6). 

He was put to the severest tests. Herodians, 
Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Priests, Lawyers, 
the wise men of his time, strove to entangle him 
in his talk, to entrap him with their hard and in- 
sidious questions. But all in vain. He put them 
all to silence by his wonderful replies, and his 
yet more marvellous answers to their quibblings 
and reasonings within themselves. "He knew all 
men, and needed not that any should testify of 

16 



gig;; m anp an an 

man: for he knew what was in man" (John, 
2:25). "The Lord searcheth all hearts, and 
understandeth all the imaginations of the 
thoughts" (I. Chronicles, 28:9). Said the 
Psalmist, and his is the experience of every one, 
"O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. 
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine upris- 
ing, thou understandest my thought afar off. 
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, 
and art acquainted with all my ways. For there 
is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou 
knowest it altogether" (Psalm, 139: 1-4). 

So it is that the Lord Christ has confuted the 
wisdom of this world, and put it to silence : an- 
swered the thoughts of men, and put them to 
shame. For a greater than Solomon in all his 
understanding is here; and the wisdom of the 
greatest sage pales before the matchless wis- 
dom of the Christ. "The Lord giveth wisdom: 
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and under- 
standing" (Proverbs, 2:6). 

Whence, indeed, hath this reputed son of the 
Nazareth carpenter such quick perception, such 
superlative wisdom, such marvellous insight into 
human thought, and mind, and heart? No an- 
swer to the question is satisfactory but this, His 
was the very wisdom of God. His was the all- 
seeing eye piercing down even to the thoughts 
and intents of the hearts of men. 

The fountain of his wisdom the Christ opens 
up to all his people, and bids them come and 
drink freely and abundantly of its fresh, spark- 
le 



gjmgt ail attg an an 

ling waters. They only are truly wise who come, 
and stoop down, and drink. 

5. All enduring treasure is found in Christ. 

Jesus the Christ is the Pearl of great price. He 
is the rich treasure hid in the field of Scripture 
(Matthew, 13:44-46). All who search for him 
there shall find him. "Seek, and ye shall find," 
is the promise. Who will say that the richest 
gem is not worth the most careful and diligent 
search ? 

There are multitudes who are seeking earn- 
estly for treasure, but not in the field of Scrip- 
ture where the richest and most enduring treas- 
ure is to be found. 

The things of seeming value that the devil 
offers profit nothing ; but the Pearl of great price 
profiteth abundantly, and beyond mind or heart 
to conceive. 

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart 
be also," said Jesus (Matthew, 6:21). The 
truth of this declaration who will deny? 

It is the part of wisdom to let go of that which 
is of less value in order to seize that which is 
of greater and of more lasting value. It is the 
part of wisdom, therefore, to seek diligently the 
true and enduring treasure, even the Pearl of 
great price, that the heart may be with it. 

Moth and rust may corrupt and destroy earthly 
goods. Thieves may break through and steal 
the gold and silver hidden away. But he who 
has the Christ in his heart has a treasure that 
neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor thieve^ 

18 



Cftrist all ant In all 

break through and steal — an eternal possession 
of riches unspeakable. 

So, then, to every man comes the call to seek 
Jesus the Christ, the Pearl of great price, the 
Treasure invaluable, that the heart may go out 
to him, and be ever with him. 

6. All true success centers in Christ. 

There are two standards of success. There is 
the world's standard, and there is God's stand- 
ard. And these are as far different the one from 
the other as is heavenly glory from earthly glory. 
That of the world is low, fluctuating, often false 
and unjust. God's standard, on the other hand, 
is high, permanent, true, just, and will alone bear 
the test of time and of eternity. 

There is, therefore, a false success which may 
gather to itself much of the wealth, and honors, 
and emoluments, and applause of the world, and 
yet after all be temporary, and barren, and 
empty, and unsatisfying. There is, however, a 
true success, which may, or may not, secure the 
prizes of earth, but whether it does, or not, the 
life is counted a success because it is lived to the 
glory of God, and the good of man, and so meas- 
ures up to the standard God has set up. 

Judged by the world's standard the earthly 
life of Jesus the Christ was an inglorious and 
total failure. He possessed no earthly riches. 
He bore no earthly honors. He wore no kingly 
crown. He swayed no royal scepter. He ruled 
no mighty army. Friends he had, indeed, but 
they were few; enemies he had, and they were 

19 



Ct)ti0t 311 anO an au 

many and mighty. Poverty, suffering, shame, 
ingratitude, hatred, cruelty, persecution, deser- 
tion of friends, unjust condemnation, agony of 
spirit, crucifixion as a common malefactor— this 
was his portion. 

Standing by the upraised cross, and recalling 
the life of him who hangs upon it, who dares to 
call that life a success ? Not his enemies, surely : 
not his friends, indeed; not even his Disciples; 
nor yet the women who lingered fondly by the 
cross, and came early on Resurrection day to the 
sepulcher. His life was cut off prematurely. 
It had gone out in shadow. There was great 
promise, indeed, but little of fruition. The bud 
of promise was early nipped by the frost of 
disaster. 

The cross proclaimed failure. The closed sep- 
ulcher cried aloud, Failure ! Failure ! Failure ! 
And hope gave place to dull despair. 

Surely, surely, if ever a life was seemingly an 
utter failure it was the life of Christ. And so 
it was, indeed, measured by the world's standard. 

Had Jesus Christ accepted the crown forced 
upon him; had he yielded to the temptation of 
the tempter and ruled as a great temporal sov- 
ereign over all the kingdoms of this world ; had 
he become a mighty conqueror, subduing even 
Rome unto himself; had he reveled in earthly 
riches, splendor, power and glory — then, indeed, 
would the men of his time, and of our time, too, 
have acclaimed him as the foremost man of all 
the ages. But then he would have been meas- 

20 



Cgtgt 31! ant) 3n ail 

ured by the world's standard, which judges out- 
ward circumstance and condition as the measure 
of tjje successful life. 

Judged by the higher and true standard God 
has established, no one was ever so successful as 
Jesus the Christ. He spake as never man spake. 
He was the greatest teacher of all the ages. He 
set a perfect example. "He went about doing 
good" (Acts, 10:38); his whole life being a 
ministry of good. His advent, his life of humil- 
ity and poverty, his sacrificial death were all 
voluntary acts of love for fallen man, whom he 
loved with a love so intense that it could not stop 
short of doing all possible to save him from sin, 
its terrible power and awful consequences, to 
break down that middle wall of separation 
which sin had erected, and bring God and man to- 
gether thus making of both one, and bringing 
righteousness and peace to as many as believe. 

No such life had ever been lived in all the 
generations before. No such life has been lived 
in all the generations since. Verily, no such life 
shall ever be lived in all the generations that are 
yet to come. 

Men did not understand that life, neither did 
they appreciate it, as many do not to-day, for 
it was a perfect life. 

Quick to take advantage of their failure to 
comprehend, the devil tempted them, leading 
them on step by step, as he does to-day, to ig- 
nore, then to despise, then to reject this perfect 
Man. And the damning sin of the men of that 

21 



Cfmst ail and In 3U 

day, as of this, was in listening to the voice of 
the tempter, in closing their ears to the voice 
of the Spirit of God, and in refusing to test 
the life of the Christ by the true standard that 
God has set up. 

To copy the example of Jesus, to imitate his 
character and life, therefore, is the way, and the 
only way, to true success in life — success as meas- 
ured by the perfect and just standard with 
which God measures success. 

The road to this true success, which is the 
road Christ traveled, is not, as we have seen, 
smooth and easy. The way thither may not be 
popular, but it is the only way. There is no 
other. For it is only the Christ-followed life, the 
life that is filled with the presence and power of 
the spirit of Christ, that can climb to the heights 
of true success. 

It is Christ himself, the exalted, glorified 
Christ, who will at last pronounce upon all his 
faithful servants those gracious words "Well 
done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou 
into the joy of thy Lord" (Matthew, 25:21). 
This is success blessed, crowned, glorified for- 
ever. 

7. All grace flows from Christ. 

Jesus Christ is the great reservoir of grace, 
which is the free gift, the undeserved mercy of 
God. All grace, therefore, must come through 
Christ unto men. This grace, however, is abun- 
dant and free to all. Man has but to ask and 
he shall receive as much as he desires and is 

22 



Cftri0t m attD 3n 3U 

willing to use. Just so much and no more, for 
God wastes nothing. 

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my 
strength is made perfect in weakness" (II. Cor- 
inthians, 12:9), is the blessed assurance of the 
Lord Christ. His grace is sufficient for all the 
varied experiences of life. And that it has been, 
and still is, is the united testimony of all his 
people. No sorrow, no trouble, no trial, no per- 
secution, no distress, no peril, no kind of death, 
as well as no joy, no rapture, no prosperity has 
ever come to his people that his grace has not 
been sufficient to meet and sanctify. Over and 
over, and over again in all possible circum- 
stances and conditions and experiences has it 
been tested, and never once found wanting. 

So Paul could say, and many another since, 
"Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in 
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may 
rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in in- 
firmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in perse- 
cutions, in distresses for Christ's sake : for when 
I am weak, then am I strong" (II. Corinthians, 
12:9 and 10). 

The Christian is not under the law, but under 
grace (Romans, 6: 15). But grace makes larger 
demands upon him than the law, for grace goes 
farther than the outward life and conduct, and 
reaches down and lays hold upon the heart. 

Love will do more than the law. The grace of 
God is his love in motion, ministering to the 

23 



Cimst m mn Sn ail 

needs of men. No good thing will he withhold 
from them who seek his face and his favor. 

8. All hope, joy, and peace center in Christ. 

All these — hope, joy, peace — arise in Christ, 
and flow forth from him to the sons of men. 
Apart from Christ, despair; in Christ, hope: 
without Christ, misery; in Christ, joy unspeak- 
able and full of glory : in the world, tribulation ; 
in Christ, peace. 

In the case of those who lived before Christ 
was manifest in the flesh, he who is the Resur- 
rection and the Life, was removed from them 
by a long and unknown interval of time; and, 
hence, there could be no enthusiasm with regard 
to entering the future state; rather was there 
a shrinking from it, and a clinging to long life 
upon the earth, regarding a prolonged life here 
as a special blessing; while as for the Christian, 
now that Christ is known to have conquered 
death with all its horrors, and to be waiting to 
receive his people into the heavenly home, he 
can take comfort in the hopeful thought that 
"To depart and to be with Christ is far better" 
(Philippians, 1:23). 

Christ is our hope. Formed in us, he is the 
hope of glory (Colossians, 1:27). In him, too, 
is found patience of hope; and by the resurrec- 
tion of Christ from the dead are we begotten 
unto a lively, an ever living, abiding hope (I. 
Peter, 1:3). 

Through Christ Jesus we have joy in God. In 
him we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full 

24 



esttgt an ana an an 

of glory (I. Peter, 1:8). His joy remains in 
his people that their joy may be full (John, 15: 
11) : and "The joy of the Lord is their strength" 
(Nehemiah, 8:10). It is one of the blessed 
fruits of the Spirit (Galatians, 5:22). 

Christ only is able to keep us from falling, and 
to present us faultless before the presence of 
his glory with exceeding joy (Jude, 24). 

It was Christ who made peace possible — peace 
with God, peace with self, peace with fellow- 
men (Ephesians, 2: 13-18; Romans, 5: 1). It is 
one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians, 5 : 22). 
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" 
(Isaiah, 57:21). 

Christ is the Author of peace, and gives peace. 
In him alone can peace be found. "Acquaint 
now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby 
good shall come unto thee" (Job, 22:21). "The 
chastisement of our peace was upon him (Isaiah, 
53:5): so that he has become our peace. He 
made peace through the blood of his cross (Co- 
lossfens, 1 : 20). 

"Peace I leave with you," said the Christ, "my 
peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, 
give I unto you" (John, 14:27) : for the world 
gives grudgingly, insufficiently; and its peace 
is that of ignorance and of false security. 

"Let the peace of God rule in your hearts," 
exhorts the Apostle (Colossians, 3:15): and, 
again, "Be at peace among yourselves" (I. Thes- 
salonians, 5: 13). 

9. Salvation is the finished work of Christ. 

25 



cfmst an ago an an 

Without the sacrificial death and triumphant 
resurrection of Jesus the Christ, his atoning 
work would have been left undone, and man 
would still be in his sins, under the condemna- 
tion of that law which is holy, just and good, 
"Having no hope, and without God in the world" 
(Ephesians, 2: 12) ; lost, eternally lost. 

While each Person of the Holy Trinity is en- 
gaged in the stupendous work of man's redemp- 
tion, yet to Christ belongs the peculiar honor 
of making that redemption possible through his 
death. 

"There is only one Saviour, but heis a thousand 
Saviours in one. He has all man needs, and man 
needs all he has. Man never knows how great 
a being he is until he knows Christ. Christ 
makes the man himself so much larger." 

Christ has "obtained eternal redemption" 
for us." (Hebrews, 9: 12). "With him is plente- 
ous redemption." (Psalm, 130:7). "Neither is 
there salvation in any other: for there is none 
other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved" (Acts, 4:12). And 
this salvation is secured by repentance for sin 
(Acts, 3 : 19) : and by faith in Jesus Christ (Acts, 
16: 31 ; Mark, 1 : 15). And the one includes the 
other. 

Christ Jesus is all, and in all to his people. 
Seek, therefore, Christ in all, and all in Christ. 



26 



II. 

CHRIST IN ALL. 

L 

CHRIST IN NATURE. 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and 
the firmament showeth his handywork. Day 
unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night 
showeth knowledge. There is no speech, nor 
language where their voice is not heard." So 
declares the Psalmist (Psalm, 19: 1-3). Nature 
is the embodiment of God's thoughts. 

Of Christ John affirms that "All things were 
made by him, and without him was not anything 
made that was made" (John, 1:3). There is, 
and there can be, therefore, no contradiction be- 
tween nature, science and religion ; for the same 
Lord is maker and Lord of all. 

Nature is one of the robes in which the Lord 
Cnrist clothes himself. Nature, too, is a mir- 
ror in which at first was clearly reflected in con- 
siderable part the beauty, beneficence, and glory 
of its Maker, but which now ? having been 



Cftrigt m anD Kn 3H 

marred, distorted, broken by sin, reflects but 
dimly and imperfectly. Yet withal much of the 
splendor, majesty and goodness of the Christ 
may still be seen in the works of his hand. 

There are differences of glory in created 
things. There is one glory of the sun, another 
of the moon, and another of the stars. There 
is one glory of the Summer, another of the Win- 
ter, another of the Spring, and another of the 
Autumn. There is one glory of the mountain, 
another of the plain, another of the sea. There 
is one glory of the mineral, another of the vege- 
table, another of the animal, another of man, 
made in the image of God. Yet with all their 
differences, each reflects some aspect of the Di- 
vine glory. 

Sun, moon and stars are ever flashing forth 
something of the splendor, glory and beneficence 
of the Christ. The rain as it is poured down 
upon the earth from the reservoir of the clouds 
suggests him who "Shall come unto us as the 
rain, as the latter and former rain unto the 
earth" (Hosea, 6:3). 

The mountain peaks declare the exaltation, 
majesty and strength of the Christ; and every 
mountain breeze whispers of his gentleness and 
kindness. The fruitful valleys proclaim aloud 
his beneficence and goodness. 

The sea reveals something of the greatness, 
power, and wisdom of the Christ, its Maker, and 
is, perhaps, the most impressive of all nature's 
teachers. What are the wild waves saying? 

28 



e&rtet an ano 3n an 

"The sea is his, and he made it; the sea is his, 
and he made it," continually they repeat. The 
goodness of the Lord Christ, like the waves of 
the sea, is always the same, ever changing, 
never failing, always new. His mercies fail not. 
They are new every morning and fresh every 
evening. 

The trees of the field, too, have their testimony 
to bear to the gracious Christ. Flowers, like no 
one of which, not even like one of the common 
ones of the field, was Solomon in all his glory 
arrayed, modestly proclaim the beauty, fragrance 
and perfection of the Christ. Even the grass, 
"Which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the 
oven," which does not stiffen itself against the 
wind from heaven that passes over it, nor resist 
it, but yields and bends, and is not broken, speaks 
eloquently of the Christ in his humility and sub- 
mission to the will of God. 

All nature is vocal with praise unto the Lord. 
If men will not praise him, nature will. The 
stars sing his praise as they move on through 
their appointed way, 

"Ever singing as they shine, 
The hand that made us is Divine." 

Mountains and hills break forth into singing 
before him. The valleys laugh and rejoice in his 
presence. Flowers and grass offer their humble 
and grateful adoration. The floods clap their 
hands, and shout aloud their mighty paean of 
praise. 

"The Lord is good to all : and his tender mer- 
29 



Christ 3H attD in 3H 

cies are over all his works. All thy works shall 
praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless 
thee" (Psalm, 145:9 and 10). Angels and heav- 
enly hosts; sun, moon and stars of light; the 
heaven of heavens, and the waters that be above 
the heavens; the earth, with its dragons and 
deeps; fire and hail; snow, and vapors, and 
stormy wind; mountains and all hills; fruitful 
trees, and all cedars ; beasts, and all cattle ; creep- 
ing things and flying fowl — all respond to the 
call of the Psalmist, and praise the Lord for his 
loving kindness and gracious care (Psalm, 148). 
And in this great and glorious chorus of praise 
all men are invited to join — all kings, and princes, 
and judges, and all people, both young and old; 
and then apart to sing praises unto him who 
loved them, and gave himself for their redemp- 
tion, and opened up a way unto the Father's 
home and the Father's heart. 

II. 
CHRIST IN TYPE. 

Christ is typdfied in the Old Testament Scrip- 
tures (1) by things, (2) by men. 

1. — By things. 

The tree of life, which grew in the Garden 
of Eden, and which long ago disappeared from 
earth, was a type of the cross of Christ, planted 
in this world of ours, and which is the tree of 
eternal life. 

30 



* 

In a dream Jacob beheld a ladder, or stairway, 
set upon the earth, whose top reached unto 
heaven, the only apparent way of communica- 
tion between. Jesus the Christ is the only way of 
communication between heaven and earth, be- 
tween the soul of man and God. 

The division of the Israelites into twelve tribes 
presaged the division of the Church of Christ 
in later times; and the union under David, re- 
united Christendom. 

The manna sent down from heaven, of which 
the Israelites in their wilderness wandering par- 
took, suggests at once Jesus, the heavenly Man- 
na, the Bread of life for hungry souls, and of 
which if a man eat he shall never hunger, and 
shall live forever (John, 6:35 and 51). 

The rock of Horeb, from which water gushed 
forth to slake the thirst of Israel in the desert, 
prefigured the Rock of ages, the source and 
supply of the water of life for thirsty souls, of 
which if a man drink he shall never thirst, but it 
"Shall be in him a well of water springing up 
into everlasting life" (John, 4: 14; I. Corinthians, 
10:3 and 4). 

The brazen serpent uplifted in the wilderness 
for the cure of those poisoned by the bite of 
the fiery serpents according to the direct teach- 
ing of Jesus himself is a type of the uplifted 
Christ, the sure cure for all bitten by the fiery 
serpents of sin, and who look unto him in faith 
(John, 3: 14 and 15). There is no antidote for 
the poison of sin but the blood of Christ. "The 

31 



egggt an attP an an 

blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from 
all sin" (I. John, 1:7). 

Tabernacle and Temple, where God met with 
his people, are types of the Christ in whom God 
meets with his people, and has communion and 
fellowship with them. The cross of Christ is 
the meeting place of God and the penitent soul. 
In that matchless parable of the Prodigal Son, 
which the Master spake, the prodigal arises 
from his poverty and wretchedness and goes 
back towards his Father's house. "But when 
he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, 
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" 
(Luke, 15:20). And the spot where they met 
was at the cross of Christ, where the penitent 
prodigal was freely forgiven and received the 
blessing of peace. 

The Ark, within the Tabernacle, with its law 
and mercy-seat, is highly symbolic of the Christ, 
who is at once the Lawgiver and the Mercy-dis- 
penser in the kingdom of God. 

The rent veil of the Temple speaks eloquently 
of the Christ, through whose broken body all 
men have access at all times into the Holy of 
holies, even into the immediate presence of the 
great and holy God (Hebrews, 10: 19 and 20). 

In the golden candlestick, with its lighted 
lamps, was typified the precious Christ as the 
Light of the world. 

In the showbread was set forth Christ the 
Bread of life; in the brazen laver, the blood of 
Christ by which only the soul can be made clean, 

32 



€Wit m ant) M 311 

pure and white, and fit for the enjoyment and 
service of God. 

Through the first fruits offered by Israel unto 
the Lord we behold Christ, who is not only 
"The first fruits of them that slept" (I. Corin- 
thians, 15 : 20), but also the first fruits and fore- 
tastes of heavenly things. 

The altars of Tabernacle and Temple were elo- 
quent in their references to Christ, and his cross 
on which the acceptable offering was made unto 
God; while the sacrifices, each of them, pointed 
forward to Christ, the great Sacrifice — (1) The 
golden altar of incense. It is only through 
Christ that our prayers go up as sweet incense 
and become acceptable unto God (Exodus, 40: 
26 and 27). (2) The burnt offering pictured 
the suffering and death of Christ (Leviticus, 
1:2-4). (3) The sin-offering proclaimed the 
atoning sacrifice of Christ (Leviticus, 4:32-35). 
(4) The trespass offering looked forward to the 
completed work of Christ (Leviticus, 3:6-11). 

One of the most striking types of Christ was 
the paschal lamb, for Christ is the "Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 
1:29). 

The blood sprinkled on door-posts, and on 
the sacred utensils of Tabernacle and Temple 
was eloquent of the blood of Christ which alone 
can cleanse, and purify, and save, and preserve 
forever the soul of man. 

The cities of refuge (Joshua, 20:1-6) pre- 
figured the Christ, the only safe and eternal 

33 



Cftri0t ail and 3n ail 

— — — — — MMMMMMMMMMMM 

refuge for the sons of men. The only refuge 
from God, the consuming fire, is in God, the 
merciful, loving Saviour. 

The sacred seasons typified spiritual blessings 
in Christ Jesus. 

The Jewish Sabbath, on the seventh day of 
the week, commemorative of God's rest from 
his work of creation, prefigured the Christian 
Sabbath, on the first day of the week, commemo- 
rating Christ's resurrection from the dead. 
Though there is no direct command that the 
Sabbath be changed from the seventh to the first 
day of the week, there is the example of the 
Apostles and the appearances of our Lord to 
them as they met for worship on the first day 
of the week, called the Lord's day, which sanc- 
tions as the Christian Sabbath the first day of 
the week. 

The Passover feast pointed forward to the 
Easter festival ; and the Feast of Weeks, to the 
Pentecost of the coming of the Holy Spirit in 
plentitude and power. 

2. — By men. 

Adam was a type of Christ because he was 
the first man, and "J esus * s the first-born among 
many brethren" (Romans, 8:29). And again, 
because he was made from the ground; and 
Christ was made flesh. And yet again, because 
he was the husband of Eve; and Christ is the 
husband of the Church (Ephesians, 5:23-27; 
Revelation, 21:2). Moreover, Adam was head 

34 



Cfttigt ail and In an 

over Eve, her children, and all created things; 
and Christ is head over all things to his 
Church, the Lord of all, blessed forever 
(Ephesians, 1:22 and 23; Colossians, 1:18). 

Abel, too, is a type of Christ in that he was 
a righteous man murdered through envy, and his 
blood cried aloud from the ground. Abel's blood, 
however, cried aloud for vengeance ; Jesus' blood 
cries aloud for mercy. It speaks better things 
than the blood of Abel (Genesis, 4:10; He- 
brews, 12:24). 

Noah, through his obedience unto God, was 
saved from destruction; Jesus, through his obe- 
dience unto the Father's will, saves all them 
that believe. 

Abraham, by his close union and fellowship 
with God, foreshadowed Christ, who was one 
with the Father. 

Melchizedek, the king-priest, is a type of Christ 
-> — (1) Because of his very name, which means 
king of righteousness, king of peace (Hebrews, 
7:2). (2) Because he was "Without begin- 
ning of days, nor end of life" (Hebrews, 
7 : 3)- (3) Because he comes forth and dis- 
appears as a mystery (Hebrews, 7:3). (4) 
Because he was a priest-king (Hebrews, 7:2 
and 3). (5) Because he offered communion 
bread and wine (Genesis, 14:18). (6) Be- 
cause he received tithes of Abraham, and 
blessed him that had the promises (Hebrews, 
7:4-7). (7) Because of his unchangeable 

35 



e&rist m anP an an 

priesthood (Hebrews, 7:3 and 21-24). (8) 
Because his priesthood was superior to that of 
Aaron's (Hebrews, 7:5 and 6). 

Isaac was a type of Christ — (1) because of his 
supernatural birth, Abraham, his father, being 
one hundred years old, and Sarah, his mother, 
ninety. (2) Because of his name, which means 
laughter, which is indicative of joy. Jesus is the 
joy of the world. (3) Because he was a willing 
sacrifice (Genesis, 22:6-9). (4) Because he 
was, as it were, raised from the dead, yet hav- 
ing escaped the corruption of death (Genesis, 
22: 10-12). (5) Because of his peacefulness and 
purity of spirit and life. 

Jacob, too, presents a type of Christ in that 
he wrestled with the Lord in prayer, and pre- 
vailed (Genesis, 32 : 24-30 ; John, 1 1 : 41 and 
42). 

Joseph's manliness, chastity, integrity, mag- 
nanimity, forgiveness of enemies, mercy, faith- 
fulness to duty and to God strikingly prefigures 
the Christ in whom all these virtues appeared 
unto perfection. Then, too, he was falsely ac- 
cused, ill-treated, and sold, as was Jesus; the 
Spirit of the Lord was upon him and in him: 
and unto Jesus was the Spirit given without 
measure (John, 3:34). 

Job in his patience and submission to the will 
of God becomes a type of the patient, submis- 
sive Christ (Luke, 22:42). 

Aaron, whose name signifies illumined, in his 

36 



gigg an anti an an 

high-priestly office ; Moses, as leader, law-giver, 
deliverer, mediator, the mouthpiece of God; 
Joshua, whose name is the very same as Jesus, 
as captain of the Lord's hosts, bringing them 
safely through conflict, distress and the border 
river into the land of promise, organizing and 
establishing the people — these all were types of 
the Christ. 

Samuel, combining in himself the offices of 
judge and prophet, suggests the Christ who is 
at once the Judge and the Teacher of his peo- 
ple. 

Elijah, the severe prophet, and Elisha, the mild 
prophet, in their lives and works show forth 
the severity and the mildness, the harshness and 
the tenderness, the judgments and the kindness 
of the Christ. 

Boaz, too, in a few particulars was typical of 
Christ: (i) His name signifies fleetness and 
strength. (2) Jew and Gentile (Boaz and Ruth) 
were united, made one. (3) All that the rich 
Boaz had became Ruth's. Joined to Christ, Jew 
and Gentile are one and .become heirs of God 
and joint heirs with Christ "To an inheritance 
incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not 
away reserved in heaven" (I. Peter, 1:4). 

David, in his name, which means beloved, as 
the shepherd-king, in his conquests, in the en- 
largement and establishment of his kingdom, and 
in his rule in Zion in equity, typifies the Christ, 
the Sovereign of the spiritual Israel; while 
Solomon, the rich and magnificent ruler of 

37 



Cfrrigt ail attD gn ail 

God's people, is a striking type of the exalted 
Christ in his glory and majesty, in whose hand 
are all the treasures of earth and heaven. 

Jonah, three days and three nights in the belly 
of the great fish, and coming forth unhurt, Jesus 
proclaimed to be a type of himself, who lay three 
days and three nights (parts of each day, accord- 
ing to Jewish reckoning, being counted a day) 
in the belly of the earth, and then came forth 
unharmed. Both, too, were witnesses for God 
and preachers of righteousness. 

Isaiah, as with eagle eye, he pierced far adown 
the future and revealed unto men some of the 
hidden things of God, appears as another type 
of the Christ, whose eye swept the whole future 
and whose voice proclaimed the eternal truth of 
Jehovah. 

Nehemiah stands forth as the master-work- 
man, and thus points to the Christ, the great 
Master-workman, ever the best Friend of the 
workingman. 

Jeremiah, as he laments and weeps over the 
sins of Israel, prefigures the Christ as he la- 
ments and weeps over the sins of his people 
(Luke, 19: 41-44; Matthew, 23:37-39). 

Ezekiel, the Seer, seer of wonderful visions, 
typifies the Christ, whose eye beheld the unseen, 
even the unspeakable, glories of the heavenly 
place. 

The priesthood, standing between God and the 
people, typified the Christ, the great Priest, the 
Daysman, who stands betwixt God and the souls 

38 



Cfttfet 3H anD m m 

of believers, laying his hands on both, recon- 
ciling each to the other, and so making peace. 

The high priest, in his intercession for the 
people, is a striking type of the Christ, who is 
the High Priest of his people, making continual 
intercession for them (Hebrews, 7:22-28). In- 
tercession is the great work of Christ in heaven, 
as redemption was his chief work on earth. 

In his death Christ is the Sacrifice satisfying 
for the sins of his people: in his resurrection, 
the Conqueror of death and the devil for his 
people : in his ascension, the King over all his 
people: in his intercession, the High Priest for 
all his people. 

"Blessed are all they that put their trust in 
him." 

III. 

CHRIST IN PROPHECY. 

From the very beginning there has been a 
series of prophecies whose rays focus in Jesus 
of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Christ of God. 

1 — Genesis, 3:15. Time of Adam. B. C. 
4000. Christ's coming as a man. 

2 — Genesis, 22 : 18. Time of Abraham. B. C. 
2000. The nation through which he would come. 

3 — Genesis, 49 : 10. Time of Jacob. B. C. 
1700. The tribe. 

4 — Isaiah, 11: 1. Time of Isaiah. B. C. 730. 
The family. 

5 — Isaiah, 7 : 14. Time of Isaiah. B. C. 750. 
The virgin mother. 

39 



Ci)ri0t ail attD Jn 311 

6 — Micah, 5 : 2. Time of Micah. B. C 700. 
The town. 

7. — Daniel, 9 124. Time of Daniel. B. C. 550. 
The time. 

8. — Luke, 1:31. To Mary. The person. 

9. — Matthew, 1:21. Luke, 2:11. By the angel. 
The name. 

10. — Matthew, 2:9. By the star. The place. 

The Old Testament Scriptures, as well as the 
New, are full of the Christ. Moses wrote of 
him ; David sang of him ; Prophets, in long suc- 
cession, prophesied of him. 

In the Pentateuch he is set forth as the Cre- 
ator, Leader, Priest, Sacrifice, Saviour. 

In Genesis, 3 : 15, we find the Eden promise and 
germinal prophecy. 

Through the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob shall all men be blessed (Genesis, 12:3; 
and 17:19; and 28:14). 

Shiloh will come, and unto him shall the gath- 
ering of the people be (Genesis, 49:10). 

A star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter 
out of Israel (Numbers, 24:17). 

Out of Jacob will he come that shall have 
dominion (Numbers, 24:19). 

A prophet shall be raised up like unto Moses 
(Deuteronomy, 18:18). And no prophet, but 
Jesus, the great Lawgiver of the Kingdom of 
heaven, has ever risen like unto Moses, the great 
lawgiver of Israel. 

When the prophecy (I. Samuel, 2:10) is made 
that, "He/' that is, the Lord, "shall give strength 

40 



Cj)ri0t 311 anD In 3U 

unto his King, and exalt the horn of his 
Anointed/' it can refer in its completeness only 
unto Jesus the Christ, who is "His King/' and 
who has immortal strength upon earth, and 
whose horn has been exalted as no other. 

In the Second Book of Samuel (7:13 and 16) 
we read of the establishment of his throne for- 
ever. And again in that same Book (23:3-5) 
of the Rock of Israel. "The light of the morn- 
ing, when the sun riseth, even a morning without 
clouds.'' And that Rock, and that Light can 
be no other than Christ. 

Job prophesied of the risen Christ, the ever- 
living Redeemer, when he said, "I know that my 
Redeemer liveth" (Job, 19:25). And again, 
when he says, "I have found a ransom" (Job, 

33^4). 

The Book of the Psalms is full of references 
to, and prophecies of, the coming Messiah — espe- 
cially so, Psalms, 2, 16, 22, 40, 45, 69, 72, no and 
118 — his Kingship and Divine power (Psalm 
2) ; forsaken of God, a reproach of men, de- 
spised by the people, mocked, scorned, ridi- 
culed, persecuted (Psalm, 22) ; his goodness, 
mercy, and love (Psalm, 23) ; his coming, and 
delighting to do the will of God; and his great 
sacrifice (Psalm, 40); his beauty and grace; 
his memory and praise which are to continue 
forever (Psalm, 45); gall and vinegar would 
be given him to drink (Psalm, 69) ; he shall 
be the Ruler and Judge of all (Psalm, 72) ; his 
throne as that which shall endure forever; 

41 



Cftri0t ail anD In m 

help is laid upon him, who is mighty, and the 
first-born of every creature, and who is higher 
than the kings of earth (Psalm, 89) ; he is ever 
the same, without beginning of days or end of 
years (Psalm, 102) ; he is a priest forever after 
the order of Melchizedek ; he shall judge 
among the heathen, and shall sit at the right 
hand of God until his enemies are made his 
footstool; and he is the cornerstone of the 
great temple of God (Psalm, 118). 

Wisdom, personified in the Book of Proverbs, 
calling unto men, "speaking of excellent things," 
entreating them to seek her early, and to hold 
to her, can have reference only to the heavenly 
wisdom that Christ should bring to men, the 
"Wisdom that is from above, which is first pure, 
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, 
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality 
and hypocrisy" (James, 3:17). 

The Song of Solomon is a love song prophetic 
of the Christ, who is fair and lovely ; who is the 
Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys; 
whose beauty and fragrance, and perfection are 
matchless ; who is the One altogether lovely. 

The pages of the wonderful Prophecy of 
Isaiah sparkle all over with the splendor of its 
predictions as to the great coming One — more 
especially in chapters 7, 8, 9, 11, 28, 42, 50, 53, 
61, 62 and 63. And this One whose advent the 
Prophet foretells is called "Wonderful, Counsel- 
lor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the 
Prince of peace" (Isaiah, 9:6). Who among 

42 



Cfttigt 311 ant» Sn ail 

all the sons of men has been worthy to bear this 
five-fold name save Jesus, and Jesus only? Isa- 
iah refers to the Christ as the Stem of Jesse, and 
as the Branch growing out of his roots, upon 
whom the Spirit of the Lord shall rest as a 
spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, 
of might, of knowledge, and of the fear of the 
Lord; who shall judge with exact righteous- 
ness, and reprove with equity, smiting the earth 
with the rod of his mouth, and slaying the 
wicked with the breath of his lips; who "Shall 
stand forever for an ensign of the people; to 
which the Gentiles shall seek : and his rest shall 
be glorious'' (Isaiah, n). The power of the 
keys, of opening and shutting, of the house of 
David is his ; and he is the Guardian of the en- 
trance way into the family of God (Isaiah, 
22:22). His coming shall be a blessing to 
men (Isaiah, 35). There is no Saviour beside 
him (Isaiah, 43:11). He shall help and save 
men (Isaiah, 49:7-10). In the fifty-third chap- 
ter of this remarkable prophecy the suffering 
and death of the Messiah are as vividly de- 
scribed as though by an eye witness. And this 
same suffering, dying One, whose "Visage was 
so marred more than any man, and his form 
than the sons of men," shall be exalted and ex- 
tolled (Isaiah, 52:13 and 14). In the fifty- 
fifth chapter the Christ is set forth as a Wit- 
ness, a Leader, and a Commander to the people. 
He shall bring salvation (Isaiah, 59:16). 
Gentiles and kings shall come to his light 

43 



Cftrfgt ail ana an 311 

(Isaiah, 60:3). His is a ministry of love 
(Isaiah, 61 : 1 and 2). He is the mighty Saviour 
and Redeemer (Isaiah, 63: 8 and 9). 

Jeremiah, too, has his word of prophecy con- 
cerning the coming Christ, as the righteous 
Branch; the King reigning, prospering, execut- 
ing judgment and justice in the earth; whose 
name is the Lord, our Righteousness (Jere- 
miah, 23: 5 and 6). 

Ezekiel sees with prophetic eye the Messiah as 
the chief Shepherd of his flock (Ezekiel, 34). 

Daniel has a vision of the Christ (Daniel, 7: 13 
and 14) : of the Most Holy, the Messiah, the 
Prince; and of his death, but not for himself 
(Daniel, 9:24-26). 

In the Minor Prophets, too, is the true Mes- 
siah, the Christ, revealed. In Hosea we catch 
a glimpse of him as the Judge. In Joel we be- 
hold him as a Comforter. In Amos we hear 
his call. Obadiah speaks of his vengeance. In 
Jonah his long suffering appears. In Micah we 
catch a vision of his triumph. In Nahum we 
tremble at the wrath of the Lamb. In Habak- 
kuk his holiness and majesty are set forth. In 
Zephaniah we are taught his judgments. In 
Haggai he is revealed as the Encourager of his 
people. In Zechariah he appears as the Branch, 
and the Victorious One. In Malachi there are 
predictions of his majesty and blessings. 

Mark some of these prophecies of the Minor 
Prophets in more detail : 

Hosea prophesies the call of Jesus out of 

44 



Cfrtigt ail anD M m 

Egypt (Hosea, n : i) ; and Micah of the birth- 
place of Jesus (Micah, 5:2); whom Haggai dis- 
covers to be the Christ of God, the desire of 
all nations, who shall come; and the house of 
the Lord shall be filled with his glory (Haggai, 
2:7). 

Zechariah foretells the coming of the Man, 
whose name is Branch, who shall grow up out 
of his place, and build the temple of the Lord, 
and bear the glory, and sit and rule upon the 
throne as a priest, holding thus both the kingly 
and the priestly offices (Zechariah, 6:12 and 
13) ; and sees the triumphal entry of the Mes- 
siah into Jerusalem as King (Zechariah, 9:9 and 
10) ; and refers to him again as the "Fountain 
opened to the house of David and to the inhabi- 
tants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness 
(Zechariah, 13:1); and points to the hand- 
wounds and the smiting of the Shepherd of the 
sheep (Zechariah, 13:6 and 7). 

Malachi, the last of the Old Testament writ- 
ers, predicts with startling brevity and directness 
the sudden appearance of the Messenger of the 
covenant in the temple of the Lord (Malachi, 
3:1); and in the last chapter of his brief 
prophecy describes the great coming One as the 
Sun of righteousness. 

Great contrasts and apparent contradictions 
appear in these prophecies, as we have noticed. 
The Messiah, the Christ, is the mighty God, the 
King of the universe, reigning in majesty, pow- 
er, and glory ; and yet meek, lowly, humble, des- 

45 



Cffligt 3H anO Kn an 

pised and hated of men, forsaken of God, put 
to death. He is the loving Saviour of men, yet 
the despised and persecuted of men. He smites 
the earth with the breath of his mouth, yet is 
seized and nailed to the cross by wicked men. 
The desire of all nations is he, yet many are 
astonished at him, "His visage and form are 
marred more than the sons of men, and there 
is no beauty that we should desire him." In 
him is a strange commingling of almighty 
strength and power, with human weakness and 
frailty; of majesty and glory, with humiliation 
and shame; of high exaltation, with low abase- 
ment. 

Who in all the history of mankind has fulfilled 
in himself all these strange, contradictory proph- 
ecies ? Who, but Jesus Christ ? 

Jesus Christ was not only ithe subject of 
prophecy, but he was the greatest of all the 
prophets. 

He predicted the razing of the temple at Jeru- 
salem, then shimmering in all the beauty and 
glory of its perfection (Luke, 21:5 and 6) ; and 
the ruin of the city of Jerusalem, then the great 
center and seat of Judaism (Luke, 21:24) ; and 
of the destruction of the Nation, and of the cast- 
ing out of the unbelieving Jews from the King- 
dom of God (Matthew, 21 : 43 ; Matthew, 8 : 12). 

He predicted, too, divisions and persecutions 
(Matthew, 10:34-39) ; tribulations in the world, 
but peace in him (John, 16:32 and 33); and 
pronounced the coming doom of the cities of 

46 



<&w*t an ana »tt an 

Galilee, then in the pomp and pride of their 
existence (Matthew, 11:21-24). He declared 
that poverty should ever exist among men 
(Mark, 14:7). 

Of his own death and resurrection he prophe- 
sied (Matthew 16:21; Matthew, 17:22 and 
23 ; Luke, 18 : 31-33 ; John, 2 : 19-21 ; John, 3 : 14 ; 
John, 12:32); and likewise of the growth and 
extension of the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew, 

13:31-33). 

He foretold Peter's denial (John, 13:36-38) ; 
and the manner of Peter's death (John, 21 : 18 
and 19) ; and the betrayal by one of his disciples 
(Luke, 22 : 21 and 22) . 

He foretold, also, the great judgment day 
(Matthew, 25:31-33) ; and the final award and 
punishment (Matthew, 25 : 34-46) ; the eternal 
separation of the good and the bad (Matthew, 
13 : 37-43, and 47-50 ; Matthew, 25 : 46) ; and the 
future state and the heavenly home (Luke, 20: 
34-38; John, 11:25 and^6). 

Moreover, he prophesied of the coming of the 
Holy Spirit (John, 16:7) ; of the spiritual wor- 
ship of God, not confined to the offering in the 
temple, but offered by men everywhere and ac- 
ceptable unto God (John, 4:23 and 24). 

Very many of these prophecies concerning the 
Christ have been fulfilled; others are being ful- 
filled ; while some yet remain unfulfilled. Those 
which have been, and are being, fulfilled, give 
abundant ground for hope and assurance that 

47 



eggg an attg an m 

the others, too, will come to pass in his own 
good time and way. 

And so every Book of Holy Scripture reveals 
the Messiah Christ in some aspect of his nature, 
character, office, work. Luke, 24:27. 



IV. 
CHRIST IN THE GOSPELS. 

Out of numerous oral Gospels emerged four 
written Gospels — four, though in reality they 
form but one as the seven arches of color make 
but one bow. Each of these Gospels is perfect 
in itself, each setting forth the Christ from a 
different point of view, and all four together 
affording the life portrait of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. From these four several viewpoints we 
may look upon Jesus of Nazareth and discover 
the perfect likeness of the Son of God. 

As portrayed in these Gospels we find in him 
a mingling of the human and the Divine. So that 
we are constrained to cry out as we behold his 
portrait here, "Truly, this was the Son of God." 
Truly this was the Son of man. God and Man ! 
The Divine-Man ! 

"Christ," says Athanasius, "in his Divine na- 
ture, is as fully consubstantial, one with the 
Father, as, in his human nature, he is flesh of 
our flesh, and bone of our bone; and yet with 
all this he is an independent Person with respect 

48 



Cfttf0t 3H anD In 3H 

to the Father, as he is with respect to other men. 
We must not imagine three divided substances 
in God, but as the stream, which is born of the 
fountain, and not separate from it, though there 
are two forms and names. As the fountain is 
not the stream, nor the stream the fountain, but 
the two are one and the same water which flows 
from the fountain into the stream, so the God- 
head pours itself, without division, from the 
Father into the Son." As the Son is begotten 
of the Father from all eternity, so the Holy 
Spirit proceeds from the Father through the 
Son. 

The four several view points of the Gospels 
are necessary in order to a full and truthful 
likeness of the Christ. 

"The Jew, the Roman, the Greek stand for 
three leading types of humanity, and to each 
of these is a Gospel addressed. The Jew was 
a man of the past, the man of tradition ; and to 
him Matthew addresses his Gospel of fulfill- 
ment, showing that the promised Messiah has 
come, and that prophecy has been fulfilled. The 
Roman was the man of the present, the man of 
energy and action; and to him Mark addresses 
himself with his brief and terse narrative of a 
three years' campaign. The Greek was the man 
of the future, the man of thought, and contem- 
plation, and to him Luke and John, ascending 
the new Pisgah, present their messages of peace 
and hope." 

Matthew sets forth the Man, Christ Jesus; 

49 



Cfirfet ail anD %n ail 



Mark, the Worker and Victor ; Luke, the Physi- 
cian and Saviour; and John, the Son of God, 
the Divine-Human Christ. 

Matthew writes of the Kingship of Jesus; 
Mark, of his humanitarianism ; Luke, of his 
Saviourhood ; John, of his Deity. 

The purpose of Matthew's Gospel is to show 
that Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old 
Testament Scriptures ; and his character and life 
are set side by side with the character and life 
of the Messiah sketched by the prophets of old, 
so that the harmony and exact likeness may be 
apparent. Mark's purpose in his Gospel, where 
only the public ministry of Jesus is recorded, is 
to set forth the Christ as the Lion of the tribe 
of Judah, the One whose works are great and 
marvelous. And so his Gospel is made up far 
more largely of what Jesus did than of what he 
said, and is thus a Gospel of action rather than 
of reflection. Luke, the beloved physician, de- 
signs in his Gospel to hold up Christ, especially 
before the educated heathen, as the great Physi- 
cian, the sympathizing, loving Saviour of men. 
John, in his Gospel, would reveal Jesus as the 
Word of God, the very expression and manifesta- 
tion of God's thoughts and will ; as one with the 
Father, the Creator of all things; as God mani- 
fest in the flesh, living among men, and dying on 
the cross as a sacrifice for human guilt, and ris- 
ing from the dead for the justification of all them 
that believe on him. 

As the Pentateuch, the five Books of Moses, 
50 



Cftrfgt 3H anD In 3H 

forms the foundation, or base, of the Old Testa- 
ment, even so does the four-fold Gospel, the 
New. 

Let us look, then, at the main features of this 
inspired portrait of the Christ as it is placed 
before us in this blessed four-fold Gospel. 

Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, is the Son of 
David (Matthew, I : i). He is the son of Mary, 
the Virgin (Matthew, 1 : 16) ; and the reputed 
son of Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth (Luke, 
3:23). Mary, however, was not the mother of 
the divinity of Christ, as Joseph was not the 
father of his humanity. 

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the 
days of Herod the king (Matthew, 2:1); Herod 
the Great, in the year B. C. 5 ; Augustus Caesar 
being at that time Emperor of Rome. The 
strange matter of the date is accounted for by 
the fact that the monk, Dionysius, whose calen- 
dar we follow, made a mistake in his calculations 
which has never been corrected. 

The name Jesus was given to this child of the 
Virgin Mary by the angel of God (Matthew, 
1:21). And the prophecy was fulfilled which 
declared that, "A virgin shall conceive, and bear 
a son, and shall call his name Immanuel," which 
being interpreted is God with us. And this is 
one of the names by which he is known (Isaiah, 
7:14; Matthew, 1:20-23). 

His advent was heralded by a messenger from 
heaven, and by a choir of the angelic host. And 
the song of the angels, "Glory to God in the 

51 



Cf)ri0t 3U attti Kit 3U 

highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward 
men," was at once an anthem of praise and a 
prophecy of the future (Luke, 2:8-11). He was 
born in a stable (Luke, 2:7) ; where shepherds, 
plain, poor, humble men from the fields came 
to worship him (Luke, 2: 16) ; and six or eight 
weeks later wise men from the far East, prob- 
ably Persia, came to the house where he was 
that they might adore him and present costly 
gifts unto him — gold as to a king, frankincense 
as to God, and myrrh as to man (Matthew, 
2:11). He is at once Man, God, Priest, and 
King. A Saviour is he for all men, rich and 
poor, high and low, learned and unlearned; and 
is, therefore, worthy the homage of all men. 

According to the Jewish law he was circum- 
cised the eighth day (Luke, 2: 21) ; the blood of 
the circumcision being the prelude to the blood 
of the cross. Because of the fury of Herod he 
became a fugitive, hurried by Mary and Joseph 
into Egypt, where he was kept until the death 
of that wicked king, when, by direction of an 
angel of the Lord, he was brought back to Naza- 
reth (Matthew, 2:13-23). 

He grew up as other boys, though sinless ; and 
at twelve years of age, according to Jewish cus- 
tom, was taken up to the feast of the Passover 
at Jerusalem, and in the temple astonished the 
learned doctors of the law by his marvelous 
knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and by his 
wonderful questions and answers (Luke, 2:46 
and 47). 

52 



Christ gU anD 5n ail 

Then he returned with Mary and Joseph to 
Nazareth, and was subject unto them, working 
at the carpenter's bench with his reputed father, 
until he was thirty years of age, when he went 
forth to engage in public ministry, which com- 
menced with his baptism by John in the waters 
of the Jordan, and the descent of the Holy Spirit 
upon him in the form of a dove, and the voice 
of the Father from out the heavenly glory bear- 
ing witness to him as his Son (Luke, 3:21 and 
22). 

He was led up of the Spirit into the wilder- 
ness to be tempted of the devil (Matthew, 4:1). 
God tempts no man, yet he often leads him where 
he is exposed to the temptations of the great ad- 
versary, yet making a way to escape (I. Co- 
rinthians, 10:13). So Jesus, yielding to the 
Spirit, and following his leading, came to the 
wilderness where during forty days he was ex- 
posed to the fiery darts of the wicked one. But 
resisting all these real and terrible temptations 
by the power of the Spirit, he overcame, and 
was made strong to resist all the future assaults 
of the devil, and so to succor all who are tempted. 

Filled with the Spirit, he entered upon his tre- 
mendous work of healing, helping, saving, bless- 
ing men (Matthew, 4). 

Twelve plain, unlettered men he called to be 
his Disciples, his pupils, to be with him and learn 
the truth from his own lips and life, and so to 
become in time Apostles, messengers of his to 

53 



oriot an an; an an 

bear the blessed truth he taught them unto 
others (Luke, 6:13-16). 

He healed all manner of sickness and disease 
(Matthew, 4:23); and raised the dead (John, 
11:43 an d 44). All nature was under his con- 
trol (Mark, 4:37-41). 

He preached great truths in simple ways, and 
spake wonderful words of life within the com- 
prehension of little children, and yet so pro- 
found as to tax the mightiest thought and 
imagination of men through all the generations 
since. Parables dropped from his lips as verit- 
able pearls of truth to those who have ears to 
hear, and hearts to accept, but as inexplicable 
mysteries to those who hearing hear and under- 
stand not, whose hearts are sealed against the 
truth (Matthew, 13-10-17). 

His answers, gems of wisdom, refuted com- 
pletely the quibbling questions put to him by 
proud priest, and scribe, and Pharisee, the great 
and learned men of his day (Mark, 12:13-34). 

He became popular with the common people, 
who heard him gladly (Mark, 12:37) ; and was 
envied and hated by the chief priests, scribes, 
and Pharisees and their followers (Matthew, 
27:18). 

He was transfigured on a mountain top in 
presence of Peter, and James, and John, the 
three most highly favored of the little company 
of the Disciples, the inner circle (Mark, 9:2-8). 

At supper in the home of Lazarus, Mary 
anointed his feet, which drew forth unkind and 

54 



gjgg an ano in an 

unjust criticism, which he quickly silenced, and 
highly commended the act of the woman (John 
12:1-8). 

He rode into Jerusalem as King, acclaimed 
by the people as their long promised Messiah. 
"And the Disciples went, and did as Jesus com- 
manded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, 
and put on them their clothes, and set him 
thereon. And a very great multitude spread 
their garments in the way; others cut down 
branches from the trees, and strewed them in 
the way. And the multitudes that went before, 
and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the 
Son of David : Blessed is he that cometh in the 
name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest" 
(Matthew, 21 :6-9). 

Coming into the city he purged the temple, 
driving out all them that bought and sold in its 
sacred courts, overthrowing the tables of the 
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold 
doves and declaring the true purpose of the 
temple of God (Matthew, 21 :i2 and 13). 

He was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, 
who were thirsting for his blood, and was sold 
for thirty pieces of silver by one of his own 
Disciples, Judas of Ishkaroth, in Judah (Mat- 
thew, 26:15). 

The same night in which he was betrayed he 
instituted the Holy Supper, to be celebrated by 
his people through all time in remembrance of 
him (Matthew, 26:17-30); which should be a 
memorial of a departed Friend: a prophecy of 

55 



Cftrigt ail and In ail 

a returning Friend: and a parable of a present 
Friend. At the institution of this blessed me- 
morial feast Jesus used the expressions, "This 
is my body," and "This is my blood," as before 
he had used the terms, "I am the door" and "I 
am the vine"; and to be taken, therefore, not 
literally, but figuratively. 

After the Supper he went with his Disciples to 
the Garden of Gethsemane, where he lifted upon 
his shoulders the tremendous load of all the sins 
of all his people through all time, which crushed 
him to the ground, and pressed from his body 
great drops of bloody sweat, and caused him 
anguish of spirit beyond the human thought to 
conceive; but he rose up under the awful load 
and carried it manfully to his cross, and nailed 
it there forever (Luke, 22:39-46). 

He was arrested in Gethsemane by "A band 
of men and officers from the chief priests and 
Pharisees," with Judas at their head; and was 
brought before the Sanhedrim, the supreme court 
of the Jews, and accused of blasphemy, and con- 
demned (Luke, 22:70 and 71). 

He was taken to Pilate, the Roman governor, 
and there three charges were laid against him, 
namely : seditious agitation, rebellion against the 
Roman government, and treason. The charge of 
blasphemy was not preferred for that, being a 
religious question, his accusers well knew Pilate 
would take no account of (Luke, 23:2). 

He was thoroughly examined by Pilate, who 
declared that the charges were not sust ained , 

56 



Cimst ail and In 911 



for he could find no fault in him. But the 
people, incited by the priests and Pharisees, 
clamored for his blood. Then Pilate, who would 
please the people and yet not stain his soul with 
a crime so heinous, learning that Jesus was a 
Galilean, sent him to Herod, Tetrach of Galilee, 
then in Jerusalem ; but Herod mocked Jesus and 
sent him back to Pilate, who could not shirk his 
responsibility, but was forced to pronounce the 
prisoner before him either innocent or guilty 
(Luke, 23:1-12). Fully persuaded of his in- 
nocence, yet fearing the wrath of the people 
should he let him go, he began to temporize, but 
to no avail. The people would be satisfied with 
nothing less than the death of their innocent 
Victim; and Pilate, though warned by his wife, 
who had "Suffered many things in a dream be- 
cause of him," at last in weakness yielded to the 
desire of the multitude, and, releasing the robber 
and murderer, Barabbas, at the demand of the 
people, scourged Jesus and delivered him up to 
be crucified (Luke, 23). 

Multitudes to-day join in the cry of the mul- 
titude of old against this loving Saviour, say- 
ing, Away with him. Away with him. 

"Then the soldiers of the Governor took Jesus 
into the common hall, and gathered unto him the 
whole band of soldiers/' and there they insulted 
him, and mocked him, and spat upon him, and 
ill-treated him, and on the morrow crucified him 
between two thieves, giving to him the chief 
place among criminals (Matthew, 27:26-50) 

5Z 



Cfttfgt 3H and M ail 

His body was laid in the new tomb of Joseph 
of Arimathaea, in which no body had ever before 
Iain (Luke, 23:50-53). 

In the darkness and silence of that rock-hewn 
sepulcher the greatest and most awful of all 
battles was fought — the battle between the Lord 
Christ, and Death and the Devil. 

On the third day Jesus came forth tri- 
umphantly, having won a complete victory over 
Death, and him that had the power of death, 
that is, the Devil, and gave Death its mortal 
wound from which it has been slowly dying ever 
since. The death of Death, therefore, is sure 
(L Corinthians, 15:26). 

After his triumphant resurrection the Christ 
appeared ten or eleven times during forty days 
to his followers: (1) To Mary Magdalene 
(Mark, 16:9; John, 20:11-18). (2) To the 
women returning from the sepulcher (Matthew, 
28:9 and 10). (3) To Simon Peter alone (Luke, 
24:34). (4) To two disciples on their way to 
Emmaus (Luke, 24:13-32). (5) To the Apos- 
tles, except Thomas (John, 20: 19). (6) To the 
Apostles, Thomas being present (John, 20:26 
and 29). (7) To the seven Disciples at the Sea 
of Galilee (John, 21 :i). (8) To the eleven Dis- 
ciples on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew, 28: 
J 6). (9) To above five hundred brethren at once, 
which may have been at the same time as 
his appearance to the eleven on the Mount. 
(I. Corinthians, 15:6). (10) To James only 

58 



Cfrrigt 311 anP an an 

(I. Corinthians, 15:7). (11) To all the Apostles 
on Mount Olivet (Luke, 24:51). 

In the act of blessing his Disciples he ascended 
up on high, and a cloud received him out of their 
sight, and he entered into the heavenly place, and 
sat down at the right hand of God, from whence 
he sent down the Holy Spirit in all his fullness 
and power; and whence he ever liveth to make 
intercession for his people (Acts, 1:9-11; John, 
16:7-14; Acts, 2:1-13; Hebrews, 7:25). 

To sum up, then, Jesus the Christ is one with 
the Father. He is the Son of God, very God, 
the living Word of God, the Creator of all things, 
and Lord of all. "In him dwelleth all the full- 
ness of the Godhead bodily/' and to him has 
been given the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, 
without measure. He is the Sun of righteous- 
ness, in whose beams ripen all the fruit of the 
Spirit (Galatians, 5:22 and 23). He is, more- 
over, the mighty King; the Shield and Defence 
of his people; the Lawgiver of the Kingdom of 
Heaven; the great High Priest and Intercessor; 
the Judge of all. 

Not only is Jesus the Christ very God, he is 
very man as well, the Son of man; the Flower 
of humanity ; taking from us a human nature 
that he might give unto us of the Divine na- 
ture (II. Peter, 1:4). Partaking of our human 
nature, he was subject for a time to all its limi- 
tations, and physical infirmities, and temptations, 
yet only without sin. Taking upon him the na- 
ture common to man he redeemed not a par- 

59 



Christ an attg an au 

ticular man, but all believers; and becoming 
flesh, which includes the whole of human nature, 
body, soul, and spirit, he redeemed, not a part 
of the believer, but the whole personality. 

He is the great Physician who never makes a 
mistake in the diagnosis and treatment of a case, 
whether the disease be physical, mental, moral, 
or spiritual; yet many men prefer quacks. He 
is the great Fisher of men; yet many men pre- 
fer not to be taken from their life of sin. He 
is the mighty burden-Lifter and sin-Destroyer; 
yet many men hold on to their burdens and 
cling to their sins. 

He is the Lamb of God, offered as a sacrifice 
on the cross of Calvary, "Which taketh away 
the sin of the world" ; the Life-saver, the only 
Saviour from sin, death, and hell. On that cross 
Jesus died sufficiently for all men ; efficiently for 
the elect The cross of Christ is as a great 
magnet of mighty power set up in the world 
drawing souls out of sin up to God. It is the 
meeting place of the heavenly Father with the 
penitent child. So far he comes out to meet 
him. Moreover, it is the way to the Father — 
to his home, to his heart. Not from the 
teacher's desk, not from the pulpit, not from 
the gilded throne, but from the cross does Christ 
rule ; and most beneficent is his sway ; yet great 
multitudes now, as of old, despise him, reject 
him, or remain indifferent to his claims. 

He is the Vine to whom all believers are 
united by a living faith, receiving from him: 

60 



spiritual life, and health, and peace; the perfect 
Example, whom all may safely follow ; the great 
Lover, in whom all may confide and rejoice; the 
inestimable Treasure hid in the vast field of 
Scripture, found of all them who diligently and 
prayerfully seek him ; the Bread of life, of whom 
if a man eat he shall never hunger; the Water 
of life, of whom if a man drink he shall never 
thirst. 

He is the Master, too, of the Gospel feast, 
the provisions for which were purchased at the 
cost of his own most precious blood ; and to this 
great, soul-satisfying feast he bids all come, 
"Without money and without price" (Isaiah, 
55:1). "Come, for all things are now ready" 
(Luke, 14:17), is his gracious invitation to 
every one. And he that daily feeds at the 
Master's table may, without sin, fare sumptu- 
ously every day. 

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, and the 
Door of the sheepfold, and the faithful Friend ; 
yet many turn aside from him and try to enter 
the fold of God by some other way. He is 
the entrance Way into the Kingdom of heaven ; 
yet many prefer to linger outside; the Truth, 
yet many prefer fables; the Life, which many 
will not have. He is the Way to salvation, to 
righteousness, to heaven, to God, to the Father's 
heart; yet many are seeking some other way, 
and walk in paths of their own choosing. 

He is the topmost Stone of the temple; yet 
many refuse to glorify him. He is the strong, 

61 



e&ttgt 3H ant) In 3H 

sure Foundation upon whom many fail to build. 
He is as the Oil in the lamp of religion, and he 
is the Light ; yet many turn away from him and 
choose rather to stumble on in darkness. He is 
the Pearl of great price, which many appreciate 
not; the infallible Teacher of truth, to whom 
multitudes of men will not listen, preferring 
rather to follow "Cunningly devised fables" ; the 
Prophet, Priest, Worker of miracles, upon whom 
many turn their backs. 

He is the Resurrection and the Life. He that 
liveth and believeth in him shall never die (John, 
11:25 and 26); shall only fall asleep to awake 
after a while in a more glorious place and state ; 
on all such the second death hath no power. 

The birth, life, death, resurrection, and as- 
cension of Christ are the foundation stones of 
the Gospels ; the pillars of Christianity ; the glory 
of the Church of Christ. 

There is one, and only one, Saviour — Christ; 
one way — believe; one time— now; one purpose 
— righteousness ; one grand test — obedience ; one 
end — heaven. 

Such in brief outline is the Christ of the Gos- 
pels, of which he is all, and in all, and through 
all; so that if he be taken out of the Gospels 
nothing worth is left, and they are then no longer 
Gospels — good news unto men. 



62 



Ctitigt ail and Sn ail 

v. 

CHRIST IN THE EPISTLES. 

The letters of the Apostles to the Church are 
full of the Christ. "Christ, and him crucified" 
was the theme of their meditation, the foundation 
of their creed, the burden of their warnings and 
invitations, the center and circumference of their 
teachings. 

These sacred writers but amplified and em- 
phasized the truths as taught by Jesus, their 
Master. No doctrine was inculcated, no truth 
expounded, no duty enjoined, no evil warned 
against, no hope set forth that, in germ at least, 
was not found in the teachings of Jesus, their 
Lord. 

As Christ reaches out into every detail of life 
— individual, social, national — a vast range of 
subjects is opened up for consideration. And, 
hence, we find the Apostles treating of very 
practical matters relating to the daily life ; even 
its most trivial details not being beneath their 
notice. And we are reminded how God every- 
where gives attention to details ; and how Jesus, 
the Son of God, had regard for the little things. 

The duties which men owe to God, to each 
other, and to society are defined and emphasized 
in these Apostolic letters; as also those duties 
pertaining to citizenship. And in these writings, 
too, abound warnings against departing from 

63 



Cim0t 311 and llti ail 

Christ and the path of righteousness, together 
with invitations and exhortations to come to 
Jesus, the only Saviour, and to walk in the way 
of holiness ; and also instructions with regard to 
the conduct of the individual life that it may be 
made more like Christ's ; and of the regulation 
of social and national life that they may be more 
conformed to the will of Christ. 

It is not only with practical affairs, however, 
that the Apostles deal. They dig deep down 
into the mysteries of the truth, and bring forth 
to view things new and old. Profound doctrines 
are elucidated; hidden truths brought to light; 
some of the mysteries of our holy religion 
cleared up; and solutions of the great problems 
of life given. It is hardly too much to say, 
therefore, that he who makes a careful study of 
these Apostolic Epistles with their corollaries 
will gain a liberal education. Moreover, these 
sacred letters are a perfect guide amid all the 
varied experiences of life; and certainly point 
out the way unto the Land of promise and peace. 

Paul is preeminently the Apostle of faith; 
John, of love; Peter, of hope; James, of prac- 
tical Christianity; while Jude treats of Christ 
as the Saviour and the Destroyer. 

Paul especially sets forth Jesus Christ as the 
object of faith; John, as the object of love; 
Peter, as the Example and Redeemer; Jude, as 
the Avenger; while James treats of the religion 
of Christ. 

In Paul's Epistles Christ appears as suited to 

64 



Cftri0t 3H anD %n ail 

the intellect; in John's, to the heart; in Peter's, 
to the character ; in James', to the life ; while in 
Jude's Epistle he appears as the Preserver of his 
people, and the Destroyer of his enemies. 

i. The Epistles of Paul. 

In Romans, 3:10 and 23, Paul sets forth our 
condition. We are under the curse of God 
(Galatians, 3:10). But we may be justified and 
obtain peace with God through Jesus Christ 
(Romans, 5:1). We are justified by faith in 
Jesus Christ — acquitted, pardoned, received into 
the favor of God, with a holy nature planted 
within us (Galatians, 2:16; Hebrews, 11:6). 

There is such a thing as a false peace. (1) 
The peace of ignorance. The peace of the man 
in the sinking ship unaware of his danger; of 
the man who is being robbed, but who knows 
it not. (2) The peace of the Pharisee — the soul 
so encased in sin, the conscience so seared, the 
heart so hardened as to be unmoved. (3) The 
peace of the dead man — not worthy to be called 
peace. True peace is the gift of God, and 
comes only through Jesus Christ (Ephesians, 
2:14). 

Paul presents Jesus Christ as the object of 
faith (Romans, 10:9). Christ must be believed 
on in the heart. Saving faith is heart belief. 
If intellectual belief were sufficient to save there 
would be no demons in hell to-day (James 2 119). 

Paul reveals Christ as the only foundation of 
true character (I. Corinthians, 3:11). Christ is 
the sure foundation of true peace, and hope, and 

65 



joy, and salvation. The foundation is always 
laid, ready at all times for men to build upon. 
On this foundation we may build a house — 
"wood, hay, stubble'' ; or a temple — "gold, silver, 
precious stones." Upon Christ as the sure foun- 
dation, therefore, a beautiful, magnificent, ad- 
mirable character may be built to the glory of 
God (I. Corinthians, 3:11-15). 

Paul answers for us the question, What is 
faith? (Acts, 16:30 and 31). "Believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." 
Christ is to be received by the soul as its Lord, 
or Master; as its Jesus, or Saviour; as its 
Christ, or High Priest and Intercessor. Paul 
knew of no other way of salvation for sinful 
man; neither did Peter (Acts, 4:12). 

2. The Epistles of John. 

John reveals the very nature and heart of 
God (I. John, 4:8) ; and in the following verse 
shows how this great love of God was mani- 
fested toward us. This fourth chapter of his 
first Epistle is a chapter of love. 

Our love is not to be compared with the love 
of the heavenly Father. His love for us pre- 
ceded our love for him; and "We love him be- 
cause he first loved us" (I. John, 4:19). 

Perfect love casts out fear (I. John, 4:18). 
"This is the love of God, that we keep his com- 
mandments ; and his commandments are not 
grievous" (I. John, 5:3). Our love to God, 
therefore, is to be shown by obeying his com- 
mandments (II. John, 6). "And this is his 

66 



CftriSt ail anD Kit 311 

commandment, that we should believe on the 
name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one 
another, as he gave us commandment" (I. John, 
3:23). He that loves not his brother, whom he 
hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath 
not seen? (I. John, 4:20). "And this command- 
ment have we from him, That he who loveth God 
love his brother also" (I. John, 4:21). 

"The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth 
us from all sin" (I. John, 1:7). 

3. The Epistle of Jude. 

But one of Jude's letters is preserved for us 
in the Sacred Book; and it is short. Yet the 
Scriptures would be incomplete without it. 

In verses 1, 5, 20, 21, 24, and 25 Jude sets 
forth Christ as the Preserver of his people; in 
verses 14, 15, and 16, as the Destroyer of the 
wicked; and closes with a solemn charge and 
earnest exhortation to the saints to be constant 
in the profession of faith. 

4. The Epistles of Peter. 

In I. Peter, 1:15, and in I. Peter, 2:21-23, 
Christ is held up before us as the great Ex- 
ample. Be holy as he is holy. Follow in his 
blessed footsteps. Be clothed with humility. Be 
sober. Be vigilant. Watch unto prayer. Es- 
chew evil. Do good. Seek peace. Have fer- 
vent charity. Use hospitality. "Honor all men. 
Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the 
king." "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." 
Have a good conscience. "And beside this, giv- 
ing all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and 

67 



Ci)tf$t 3U ant» Sn an 

to virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge temper- 
ance; and to temperance patience; and to pati- 
ence godliness; and to godliness brotherly kind- 
ness ; and to brotherly kindness charity." "Grow 
in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ." Such are some of the 
earnest and loving exhortations of this inspired 
Apostle. 

In I. Peter, 1 :i8 and 19. Christ is revealed 
as the Redeemer. In the risen Christ is the 
hope of the world (I. Peter, 1.3-5). 

5. The Epistle of James. 

James, in the first chapter and twenty-seventh 
verse of his Epistle, gives a description, rather 
than a definition, of religion. Inward purity, out- 
ward beneficence — these are characteristics of 
pure religion. "Before God," that is, in the 
judgment of God. "To visit," that implies, of 
course, ministering to their needs as well (Psalm, 
41:1). The Christian is not to content himself 
with helping the poor by proxy. Visit them, 
says the Apostle. Render personal service. It 
will be better thus for them, and for you. If 
we are like Jesus Christ, who was God manifest 
in the flesh, we will be beneficent, charitable, 
helpful, going about doing good. Many seem 
to stop just here, however, regarding this as all 
of religion. Not so. The keeping unspotted 
from the world is just as essential. Paul, too, 
exhorts to this same duty (I. Timothy, 5:22). 
A good life is a good sermon. Only those who 
keep their garments undefiled, who, by the grace 

68 



e&tist an anp m an 

of God, keep themselves pure, shall walk with 
Christ in white, and be accounted worthy (Reve- 
lation, 3:4). 

Faith is not all ; nor are good works sufficient 
(James, 2:17). Faith is as one oar, good works 
as the other. Pull on either one alone and no 
progress is made. Pull steadily on both and 
the desired haven is reached at last (Galatians, 

5:6). 

We are commanded to do good to all men 
(James, 4:17). If, therefore, I have an oppor- 
tunity to do good, and do it not, I am as guilty 
before God as though I had done some positive 
injury to my neighbor. A good that my brother 
does not receive at my hands is an injury he re- 
ceives at my hands. Our Lord's parables of the 
Talents, the Pounds, the Rich Man and Lazarus, 
and the picture of the last Judgment, all set forth 
this truth that omission of duty is commission of 
sin. 

James, 5 119 and 20. To err, that is, to wander 
from the truth, is to wander from Christ, for 
Christ is the truth (John, 14:6). The honest 
outward life is the product of character, and 
character of creed or belief. A man is what he 
believes (Proverbs, 23:7). Belief molds the 
character, and shapes the life. It makes the 
greatest difference, therefore, what a man be- 
lieves. 

The remedy for soul-disease is truth, incarnate 
Truth. Men are to be saved by bringing them 
to the knowledge of the truth and under its 

69 



Cfttfgt au ana In an 

power, by pointing them to Jesus Christ, who is 
himself the truth, Truth incarnate. 

Not, "He which converteth the sinner from 
the error of his way," shall have his own sins 
covered thereby; but rather, the multitude of 
sins that the one converted has, or otherwise 
might have, committed are forever hidden, par- 
doned, blotted out (I. John, 3:23). 

Thus does James treat of the religion of 
Christ in a most practical way. 

There are those who say that the religion of 
Christ is not practical, that it deals with the life 
to come rather than with this present life. But 
have such read the New Testament? Have 
such given attention to the Epistle of James, the 
Proverbs of the New Scriptures? Surely not, 
unless through prejudice they "Have the under- 
standing darkened, being alienated from the life 
of God through the ignorance that is in them, 
because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephe- 
sians, 4:18). 

VI. 

CHRIST IN THE REVELATION. 

The Apocalypse, or "The Revelation of St. 
John the Divine," is full of Christ, who is the 
center of the eternity to come as of the eternity 
that is past. It is a vision of the exalted Christ 
and of his home in glory; and abounds in stu- 
pendous imagery, grand and magnificent, some 

70 



Cfltigt 311 anP 3n ail 

of it far beyond the imagination of man to 
grasp, or of his intellect to comprehend. 

A Book of mysteries it is called ; yet how many 
mysteries it solves. It shines with a light so 
clear, and pure, and bright as to fairly dazzle 
the eyes, and bewilder the mind, and baffle the 
understanding, and stagger the intellect, and 
overwhelm the imagination of finite, sinful crea- 
tures. 

With all its mysteries, and profound depths, 
and awful heights, and dazzling glories, the dili- 
gent and prayerful student gains much light as 
to the future, together with revealed truths help- 
ful in practical daily living. At the very open- 
ing of the Book — (Revelation, 1:3) — we read, 
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear 
the words of this prophecy, and keep those 
things which are written therein." Read, hear, 
keep. Are not these plain, practical words sug- 
gesting very plain and practical duties? 

The more spiritually minded the Christian be- 
comes the more does the wonderful Book open 
up to his comprehension. The devout soul finds 
in it a treasury of comfort, inspiration, and hope. 

John certainly would never have seen and 
heard the wonderful things recorded in this won- 
derful Book had he not been in the Spirit (Reve- 
lation, 1:10). Only those are able to discern 
spiritual things, who, like John, are in the Spirit. 

Hearing behind him "A great voice, as of a 
trumpet," John turned and saw the living Christ, 
the Alpha and Omega, whose appearance he 

71 



Cfttigt 3U anP In 311 

would describe. The description he gives — > 
(Revelation, i : 13-16) — taken literally is gro- 
tesque; but figuratively it is beautiful and sub- 
lime. 

By the seven golden candlesticks in the midst 
of which was the Christ — (Revelation, 1:12, 13 
and 20) — were represented the seven Churches of 
Asia ; and the seven stars, the angels, or pastors, 
of those Churches. Christ's eye is upon the 
Churches ; his presence is with them ; he walks 
among them; and his loving kindness ever sur- 
rounds them. He regards with especial solici- 
tude and care the pastors of the Churches ; and 
gives to them of his strength, and of his au- 
thority, too, for they are as stars in his right 
hand. 

These seven Churches of Asia were typical, 
or representative, Churches. Seven is the Bible 
number of completeness. By these seven 
Churches, therefore, are represented the whole 
Church of God throughout the world, through all 
the ages. The sins of these Churches of Asia — 
(Revelation, 2 and 3) — have appeared over and 
over again in the Church during the centuries 
since. Against all these sins solemn warnings 
are uttered, and direction and encouragement 
are given to right doing. 

The jasper stone, to which reference is made 
in Revelation 4:2 and 3, was of a clear, bright, 
sparkling whiteness, fit emblem of holiness ; and 
the sardius, a fiery red, fit emblem of justice. 
The Holy and Just One sits upon the rainbow- 

72 



Cftttgt ail anD In 311 

encircled throne of the universal Judge and 

Kin S- 

In the right hand of him who sits upon this 

throne of glory, John saw "A Book written 
within and on the backside sealed with seven 
seals" (Revelation, 5:1-6). The Book was writ- 
ten all over. There was no more space for writ- 
ing. Nothing more could be added. It was 
the Book of the future. Sealed with seven seals 
showed that the history of the future herein con- 
tained was entire and complete. And the fully 
written, sealed Book in the right hand of the 
exalted Christ is a fit emblem of the future, 
which the Divine hand only can unroll, and the 
Divine mind only can comprehend. 

John was told of a lion; and, behold, a Lamb 
— a Lamb slaughtered, a Lamb for sacrifice, a 
Lamb that had been sacrificed (Revelation, 
5:5-14). The lion is majestic, powerful. So is 
Christ. The little lamb (for the Greek di- 
minutive is here used), is pure, meek, gentle, 
lovely. Even so is the Christ. In Jesus Christ 
are combined all the good qualities represented 
by the lion, with those represented by the lamb. 

Christ, the Lamb slain, was alone able and 
worthy to open and read the Book of the future. 
Nothing is too hard for him. Nothing is un- 
known to him (Isaiah, 46:9 and 10). 

The question the Disciples asked the Master, 
as recorded in Luke, 13 :23, is answered in Reve- 
lation, 7:9. This innumerable throng are in the 
immediate presence of the Lamb of God, where 

73 



eattgt an ano an an 

they are perfectly safe and happy, and so shall 
be forevermore. 

. Is it possible, indeed, for this great countless 
multitude of the redeemed to be perfectly happy 
in their heavenly home while souls are writhing" 
in the torments of hell; and of which it would 
seem from the teaching of Christ himself (Luke, 
16:19-31), they are cognizant? How is this to 
be explained? Well, is it possible to be happy 
in this life when it is known that some, by their 
own fault, are in prison, or in the poor-house, or 
on beds of pain? We may, indeed, pity such 
poor, miserable ones, as in the parable of Dives 
and Lazarus, Abraham seemed to pity the rich 
man in the torments of hell, but will our own 
happiness in the home circle be thereby de- 
stroyed, or lessened? Rather by the contrast 
will not our satisfaction and rejoicing in our 
own home be enhanced? If so here, why not in 
yet greater fullness there? For there the sense 
of God's justice will be so exactly appreciated 
that, while the redeemed in heaven may pity lost 
souls in hell, some of whom they may have dearly 
loved and cherished on earth, members of their 
own family circles it may be, yet they shall re- 
joice in the justice of God, in the mercy of God 
by which their own safety and peace have been 
secured, and in the complete triumph of Christ 
over his enemies; so that this shall far more 
than overbalance, if, indeed, it may not destroy, 
the love they had for them on earth. Unclothed, 
in the festering corruption of their sins, do not 

74 



e&tigt an ana m m 

the denizens of hell prove a disgust and a loath- 
ing to the inhabitants of the celestial city? In 
that home above the skies those whom Christ 
loves, the saints love ; those whom Christ hates, 
they hate; for the saints in glory shall be like 
Christ in feeling even as in appearance. 

Those who are in the blessed throng above, 
one of the Elders informs John, have come up 
hither out of great tribulation (Revelation, 
7:14). 

Tribulation alone, of course, will not make a 
man good ; can not possibly save him. But when 
the soul has been washed in the blood of the 
Lamb then tribulation works out for it, by the 
grace of God, new degrees of purity, broader 
character, a fuller experience (II. Corinthians, 
4:17). 

John knew of no other way of salvation for 
sinful men than through the crucified Christ, the 
slain Lamb of God. It is only when the soul is 
washed in the blood of this Lamb that it can 
be saved, and purified. Man's blood dyes red, 
but Christ's blood makes white and clean. 

In Revelation, 7:16 and 17, we find the per- 
fect fulfilment of the Beatitudes pronounced by 
Christ (Matthew, 5:4, 6 and 8). 

John was permitted to hear the song of the 
redeemed from among men in heaven (Revela- 
tion, 15:3). It is, "The song of Moses, the 
servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" (Ex- 
odus, 15 n-19). The Old Testament Church and 
the New Testament Church are one in Christ, 

75 



ew$t m ana Sn an 

and sing the same hymns of praise unto God. 
The temporal deliverance at the Red Sea was 
the symbol of the greater deliverance from the 
worse enemy, and the more galling bondage. 
The two songs blend. Praise for temporal de- 
liverance is mingled with the higher praise for 
spiritual deliverance and freedom. 

John in vision beheld the Christ victorious over 
all his enemies (Revelation, 17:14; Revelation, 
19:11-21). And in his glorious triumph all his 
people will share. 

With prophetic eye John was permitted to wit- 
ness the marriage of the Lamb, and to look in 
upon the marriage feast (Revelation, 19:7-9). 

The Bride, the Church, had long been await- 
ing the coming of the Bridegroom, Christ, and 
cried out again and again, "How long ! Oh ! how 
long. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." He will 
come in due time and take unto himself his 
Bride (Hebrews, 10:37). Blessed, indeed, yea, 
thrice blessed are they who are called unto the 
marriage supper of the Lamb. 

The Apostle hears pronounced blessed words 
of promise, and fearful words of doom (Reve- 
lation, 21 :6-8) ; and in the last verse of that 
chapter he tells us who are the citizens of the 
heavenly Kingdom. The Lamb's Book of life 
is the roll book of the redeemed. Every name 
therein is written with the blood of the Lamb, 
which is indelible; and, hence, these names can 
never fade, nor be effaced, nor blotted out. 

Jesus in speaking to John declares himself 

76 



Cftti0t ail anft an 311 

to be the root of David. Root, that is, root- 
shoot, a growth from the root, equivalent to off- 
spring. And Jesus Christ according to the flesh 
was the root-shoot, or offspring, of David. 

Obedience is the test of character, of faith, of 
fitness for eternal life in the heavenly place 
(Revelation, 22:14). Obedience to the com- 
mands of God, and preeminently to that great 
commandment that we believe on his Son whom 
he hath sent (I. John, 3:23), entitles us to par- 
take of the fruits of eternal life (Revelation, 
22:2). 

The beloved Apostle will not close the Book 
without extending a blessed invitation to all the 
sons of men (Revelation, 22:17). It is an in- 
vitation full, free, perpetual unto the last genera- 
tion. "Whosoever will let him take the water 
of life freely." All who will may come. All 
who hear the gracious invitation are callel upon 
to pass it on to others. 

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that 
hear the words of this prophecy." No, the 
Apostle does not stop there. Read on. "And 
keep those things which are written therein ; for 
the time is at hand" (Revelation, 1:3). It is 
not the mere reading and hearing of the truth, 
then, that shall bless the soul, but the obeying 
of the truth. 

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
thee a crown of life," is the gracious promise 
of the glorified Christ (Revelation, 2:10). 

77 



Cfttigt 311 anO In 3» 

VII. 
CHRIST IN THE CHURCH. 

No longer present in the body, the Christ is 
ever with his Church by his Spirit. And thus is 
his presence more real and more intimate than 
when he was with it in the flesh. 

The Church is the body of Christ, the soul of 
which is his Spirit who pervades, and animates 
it, and makes it a mighty living organism 
(Ephesians, 1:22 and 23). 

Like the human body of Jesus, this spiritual 
body of his was born, has grown, and is grow- 
ing, has just reached young manhood, and will 
continue to grow until it comes to full maturity, 
and, then, like the natural body of Jesus, it shall 
remain strong and vigorous, knowing not decay, 
and shall be transformed into the glorified 
Church above. 

This body of Christ, the Church, animated by 
his Spirit, is the mightiest power in the world 
to-day, turning the eyes, and fixing the atten- 
tion, and challenging the admiration of men, 
and gathering unto itself ever increasing multi- 
tudes of adherents. 

The history of Christ in the world since his 
glorious ascension is made known in the history 
of the Church, the true Church of Christ — for 
there have been times when that which claimed 
to be the Church of Christ was not animated by; 



Ci)ri0t m ant) 3n 311 

his Spirit, so that while it had a name to live it 
was dead ; times when the true Church was small, 
poor, despised, persecuted. Therefore, to find 
Christ in the Church we must turn away from 
what merely claims to be the Church to that 
which proves itself to be the Church by its spirit 
and works. 

How, then, does Christ manifest himself 
through the Church, his body, to the world ? In 
several ways : — 

I. — As the Friend of man. 

The benevolent and charitable gifts and insti- 
tutions found wherever the Church exists, and 
that is in all parts of the world to-day, bear testi- 
mony to the presence of him "Who went about 
doing good," who came "Not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister/' who sought to help man 
in his need, and give him a start or a push on 
in life. The great variety and magnitude of 
Christian institutions for the poor, the unfor- 
tunate, the helpless attest the effort of the loving 
Christ to reach out through his Church to every 
one who is in need of encouragement and help. 
The homes for the orphan, the aged, the fallen, 
for those of limited means, the poor, the friend- 
less, for foundlings, homeless boys and girls, for 
aged ministers and others deprived of support; 
institutions of learning, for free distribution of 
the Word of God, tracts, and other religious 
reading matter : fresh air work, Summer homes, 
outings, excursions for poor, neglected, sickly 
ones. All these, and many such like besides, 

79 



Cfttfgt an ana In an 

bear ample testimony to the presence and work 
of the Christ among men. 

2. — As the great Physician. 

The hospitals, the numberless institutions for 
the needy — the blind, the crippled, the insane, 
the feeble minded, and others permanently af- 
flicted, for the cure of the alcohol, opium, and 
other evil habits; the free dispensaries, and 
nurses for the poor; and all other institutions 
and means for the care of the sick, the diseased, 
the afflicted, bear testimony to him who is the 
great and ever present Physician, who cares 
for the bodies, as well as the souls, of men, 
and who would tenderly minister to the ailments 
and imperfections to which flesh is heir. 

3. — As the Saviour. 

The vast multitude, whom no man can num- 
ber, in heaven and on earth to-day, who have 
been freed from the power of sin and whose 
lives have been redeemed from corruption bear 
testimony to the presence and power of the 
Christ to save. Men debauched in sin, corrupt 
in life, have been changed and made new men 
in Christ Jesus, so that sinful pleasures and 
practises that once charmed them now no longer 
please; and the service of Christ once despised, 
has now become their chief joy and delight. 
Verily, they have been born again, and in truth 
have become new creatures (John, 3:1-8; II. 
Corinthians, 5:17). Not only does Christ save 
the souls of men, but their bodies as well — "Who 
f orgiveth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all thy; 

80 



Cftrist ail anP Sn 311 

diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruc- 
tion; who crowneth thee with loving kindness 
and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth 
with good things ; so that thy youth is renewed 
like the eagle's" (Psalm, 103:3-5). 

4. — As the Helper. 

The Christ not only saves men, redeems them 
from the curse, the power, the awful conse- 
quences of sin, but he helps them to bring forth 
in life and character the fruit of the Spirit (Ga- 
latians, 5 \22 and 23), to grow in grace and in the 
knowledge and likeness of Christ (II. Peter, 
3:18; II. Corinthians, 3:18). He helps them to 
bear their burdens, and carry their sorrows, and 
delivers them out of their distresses, and 
makes all things work together for their good 
(Matthew, 8:17; Isaiah, 53:4; Psalm, 107:6; 
Romans, 8:28). He gives them light in per- 
plexity, points out and illumines the path of 
duty, reveals his will, and gives of his grace to 
conform to his will (Ephesians, 5:14; Isaiah, 
30:21; Proverbs, 15:19; Ephesians, 1:9; Philip- 
pians, 4:13 and 19). 

In his house, through the holy ordinance of 
spiritual worship, and the sacraments, he comes 
especially near to comfort, and cheer, and bless 
his people. 

5. — As the Missionary. 

During his earthly ministry Jesus went about 
from place to place, from Judea, to Samaria, to 
Galilee, to Peraea, and to the coast of Tyre and 
Sidon preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and 

81 



Cftti0t 311 attD 3n an 

ministering to the necessities of men's bodies, 
and minds, and souls, and spirits, having regard 
thus to the whole man. All missionaries since 
have but followed his example, although in ever 
enlarging circles ; and all mission work since 
has been but as the unfolding of the seed which 
he planted in the little land of Judea and the 
surrounding region centuries ago. In modern 
missions, not only is the Gospel of the Kingdom 
preached that souls may be saved, but hospitals 
are instituted that physical ailments may be re- 
moved and alleviated, and schools are opened 
and presses are run for the healing of the mind, 
and admitting light into darkened intellects. 
Christ taught, and healed, and preached. And 
his command to his Apostles, and to the seventy, 
and through them to his Church is, "Go ye there- 
fore, and teach all nations/' Pray, teach, heal, 
preach (Matthew, 28:18-20; Luke, 10:1-16). 

Only in proportion as the Church faithfully 
follows the example and obeys the word of her 
Lord is she fulfilling her mission in the world. 

From the beginning wicked men, doing the 
devil's work, have sought to destroy the Church, 
but the Lord makes the wrath of man to praise 
him, and the remainder of wrath he restrains. 
The members of the Church of Christ, despised, 
persecuted, hunted, driven to dens, and caves 
and catacombs — how terrible their privation and 
suffering! How numerous the confessors anl 
martyrs ! Yet the Church could not be destroyed 
for Christ was with it, and in it. 

82 



e&tigt an mm m an 

Failing here, the devil tried another plan. 
Persecution ceased. The Church came forth 
from its hiding place. It was enrobed, enriched, 
elevated even above all the kingdoms of this 
world, itself a great temporal kingdom, the 
riches, and honors, and power, and glory of the 
world pouring into it. In consequence it became 
corrupt; and from the fourth to the sixteenth 
century so remained (John, 18:36). 

The Roman Church, in its arrogancy claim- 
ing to be the only true Church of Christ, the 
Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, exalted to 
the chief place among the kingdoms of the world, 
in all its splendor, luxury and magnificence, be- 
came degenerate, corrupt, hardly distinguish- 
able, indeed, in its faith and practise from the 
heathen systems of religion round about. All 
who would not bow to her authority, and obey 
her decrees were sought out and fiercely and 
pitilessly persecuted. But the Christ, wounded 
in the house of his friends, driven out, as from 
Nazareth in the days of his flesh, took up his 
abode with the Church of the remnant, his true 
worshippers, and was ever present with them; — 
the Waldenses, in Switzerland; the Hussites, in 
Bohemia; the Huguenots, in France; the Wy- 
cliffites, in England; the Culdees, in Scotland. 

During the early part of the sixteenth cen- 
tury in the Roman Church, which swayed its 
ghostly scepter over millions of souls, super- 
stition largely superseded faith; pomp and cere- 
monial, true, spiritual worship; pride, and ar- 

83 



etiti0t an aim in an 

rogancy, and luxury, the simplicity and humility 
of early Christianity. Rome was drunk with the 
blood of the saints. Then it was that Jesus the 
Christ raised up mighty champions to check this 
monstrous wickedness, and to restore unto all 
men the truth, which had been for centuries with- 
held from them. Luther, and Melancthon, and 
Zwingle, and Calvin, and Knox — men bold and 
fearless; men mighty in the Scriptures, and 
great in the power of the Spirit — bravely cham- 
pioned the cause of Christ against the prevail- 
ing formalism, superstition, error and idolatry. 
The pure Gospel was preached and received, and 
the true Church came forth "Terrible as an army 
with banners" to the conquest of the world for 
Christ. Great victories it has won; great vic- 
tories it is winning ; and greater victories are yet 
to come. 

Foiled in his attempt to destroy the true 
Church of Christ by persecution, and by formal- 
ism and superstition, the devil tried yet another 
plan for its overthrow, namely, the allurements 
of the world. And on this plan he is still hard 
at work. Coldness and indifference with regard 
to spiritual things settled down upon the visible 
Church; and a spirit of worldliness pervaded it. 
Its members, the large body of them, gave little 
thought to pure, practical religion, their minds 
and hearts being engrossed in learned theological 
disputations, or in worldly pleasures and pur- 
suits. Yet there was always the faithful rem- 
nant, the Church within the Church, that re- 

8 4 



gfttfgt ail ana In m 

mained true to their Lord and his Holy Gospel. 
And Christ, who was with them, sent forth in 
due time Whitfield and the Wesleys, Edwards, 
and later Finney and Moody, who, by the power 
of the Holy Spirit, roused Christians from their 
lethargy, and turned worldlings unto God. What 
wonderful revivals of true religion were those! 
The presence of Christ, by his Spirit, was plainly 
manifest, recalling the Pentecostal season. 

While working still with his plan of defeat- 
ing the Church by the allurements of the world, 
the devil has added yet another, that of pushing 
the world into the Church, turning the church 
edifices, solemnly dedicated to the worship of 
God, into places of entertainment, theatrical ex- 
hibitions, vain shows, restaurants, thus lessening 
the reverence of men for these sacred places, 
and so leading on to indifference and neglect. 
And neglect of sanctuary too often means ne- 
glect of soul. 

"Men will have amusement. Let the Church 
furnish it," is the demand. But the Church of 
our Lord Jesus Christ was not established for 
any such purpose. It can not compete with the 
world in worldly attractions ; and any attempt on 
the part of the Church to do so will meet with 
deserved and ignominious failure. Churches that 
yield to this clamor, which grows the stronger 
the more it is yielded to, are educating their 
young people to the love of excitement, frivolity 
and vanity, which it is a crime for any church 
to do. 

85 



Cftttet 311 attP In an 

There is still a remnant within the visible 
Church who have not bowed the knee to the 
Baal of fashion, fun and frolic set up by im- 
pious hands in the very temple of God — of God, 
who is a Spirit, and who must be worshipped in 
spirit and in truth. 

When Jesus went into the temple at Jerusalem 
we are told that "He found in the temple those 
that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the 
changers of money sitting: and when he had 
made a scourge of small cords, he drove them 
all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the 
oxen ; and poured out the changers' money, and 
overthrew the tables; and said unto them that 
sold doves, Take these things hence; make not 
my Father's house an house of merchandise." 
And again, at the close of his public ministry, 
when Jesus went into the temple the first thing 
he did we are told was to drive out from its 
sacred courts "All them that sold and bought in 
the temple, and overthrew the tables of the 
money changers, and the seats of them that sold 
doves, and said unto them, It is written, my 
house shall be called the house of prayer; but 
ye have made it a den of thieves." And the 
house of God becomes a den of thieves when 
the congregation dishonors it, and robs God 
of the reverence and honor which are his due. 

What is done in a church on week-days has 
its effect upon the atmosphere of reverence and 
sanctity we find there on the Sabbath days. If 
the old-fashioned church was less disturbed by 

86 



efmst 311 and In 311 

whispering, and disorder, and irreverence than 
are many of our churches of to-day may it not 
be due to the fact that our modern churches 
are used as much for commercial and mere so- 
cial purposes as they are for the worship of 
God? 

The house set apart for sacred uses, to the 
worship and service of God, surely nothing else 
should have place in it (Jeremiah, 7:11). 

Were Jesus in bodily presence with us to-day 
would he not come to all churches being dese- 
crated and drive out the lecturers, and the 
actors, and the caterers, the buyers and the sell- 
ers, who profane the Father's house, saying unto 
them, "My house shall be called the house of 
prayer. Make it not an house of merchandise 
and entertainment." 

The law found in Leviticus, 19:30, has never 
been abrogated. It is just as binding, therefore, 
upon the Church to-day as it was upon the 
Church of thirty-four hundred years ago. 

There are signs of hope. The Church is 
awakening to see the evil of irreverence and 
profanation with regard to the sacred sanctuary, 
and is beginning to undertake the task, follow- 
ing the example of her Divine Lord, in driving 
out the profaners of his house, and purifying 
the courts of the holy place. 

The devil will be defeated in this, as in all 
other of his plans to destroy the Church, and 
the Church shall yet triumph finally and glori- 
ously, for the Christ is with, and in, k forever, 

87 



e&ti0t an ano an au 



and the gates of hell can not, therefore, prevail 
against it. It shall stand forevermore. 

As the Church is composed of individual 
Christians, the type of Christians will, there- 
fore, denote the type of the Church. The more 
Christians are transformed into the likeness of 
their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, the purer, 
and greater, and stronger and more glorious will 
the Church become. 



VIII. 
CHRIST IN HISTORY. 

All history is the unfolding of God's purpose 
in this world, which is that man may be saved 
from sin, its tremendous power and awful con- 
sequences. Therefore, the Saviour of men oc- 
cupies the most conspicuous place, and is the 
great central figure in history. 

"Christ was placed midmost in the world's his- 
tory; and in that central position he towers like 
some vast mountain to heaven — the farther slope 
stretching backward toward creation, the hither 
slope toward the consummation of all things. 
The ages before him look to him with prophetic 
eye ; the ages since behold him by historic faith ; 
by both he is seen in common as the brightness 
of the Father's glory, and the unspeakable gift 
of God to the race." 

Renan, the keen-witted infidel, says, "What- 
88 



Cftri0t 3U anti In 3U 

ever may be the surprises of the future, Jesus 
will never be surpassed. His worship will grow 
young without ceasing ; his legend will call forth 
tears without end; his sufferings will melt the 
noblest heart ; all ages will proclaim that among 
the sons of men there is none born greater than 
Jesus." 

Jesus Christ, the Saviour, is a presence and a 
power in the world that must be reckoned with. 
To leave him out of history is to present but a 
skeleton, for he is the life and the spirit of it. 
He is its light. He is the key that unlocks its 
mysteries. The history of the world, therefore, 
is but the rehearsal of the influence and work- 
ings of the Christ". 

Of the personal appearance of Christ, Publius 
Lentulus, who lived when Jesus was yet on earth, 
is recorded to have said, "There has appeared 
in our day a man of great virtue, named Jesus 
Christ, who is yet living amongst us, and with 
the Gentiles is accepted as a prophet of truth, 
but his own disciples call him the Son of God. 
He raiseth the dead, and cureth all manner of 
diseases; a man of stature somewhat tall and 
comely, with a very reverend countenance; such 
as the beholder may both love and fear ; his hair 
is of the color of a filbert, full ripe, and plain 
down to his ears, but from his ears downward 
somewhat curled, and more orient of color, wav- 
ing about his shoulders. In the midst of his 
head goeth a seam or partition of hair, after 
the manner of the Nazarites; his forehead very 

8 9 



Cfttfgt an anP m m 

smooth and plain; his face, nose and mouth so 
framed as nothing can be reprehended ; his beard 
somewhat thick, agreeable to the hair of his head 
for color, not of any great length, but forked in 
the middle ; of an innocent and mature look ; his 
eyes grey, clear and quick. In reproving he is 
terrible; in admonishing, courteous, and fair 
spoken, pleasant in speech amidst gravity. It 
cannot be remembered that any have seen him 
laugh, but many have seen him weep. In pro- 
portion of body, well shaped and straight; his 
hands and arms most beauteous to behold; in 
speaking very temperate, modest and wise; a 
man of singular virtue, surpassing the children 
of men." A vivid portrait of the Christ, if in- 
deed it be a correct one. 

The preparation for the coming of the prom- 
ised Messiah was long and intense ; and thus 
was the world gradually prepared for his advent. 
Kingdoms rose and fell until at last Rome be- 
came mistress of the world, gathering unto itself 
largely of its kingdoms, power, wealth, civiliza- 
tion. So that under its rule the time was propi- 
tious for the appearance of the Christ. And he 
came, not with blare of trumpets, not as the 
great general, or king, at the head of a mighty 
army, but rather as the Babe of Bethlehem ; and 
for thirty and three years thereafter lived a life 
of poverty and toil. 

The Pharaohs, the Caesars, the Napoleons, the 
Steuarts, Cromwell, Frederick, Washington, Lin- 
coln — these and many more beside have appeared 

90 



Cftttet 3U anP In 3H 

challenging the admiration, or condemnation, of 
the world ; but the greatest of them all pales be- 
fore Jesus of Nazareth. Indeed the good quali- 
ties of all combined in one would not so fix the 
eyes and the heart of men as does the poor, 
humble Carpenter of Nazareth, and Preacher of 
Galilee, Jesus the Christ. 

The work of these great men of earth, so far 
as it was unselfish, was for the outward and 
material prosperity of the nation and the indi- 
vidual. But the work of Christ, wholly un- 
selfish, was primarily for the inward, spiritual 
prosperity of the individual ; and secondarily, and 
as a consequence of the first, improvement in 
material and social conditions. 

History is writ largely in blood. Its char- 
acters are bloody. Its record is mainly of bloody 
battles, ghastly battlefields, horrible sieges, awful 
carnage, suffering, woe. From its every page 
is heard the cries of the famine-stricken, the 
groans of the wounded, the moans of the dying. 

The gathering of armies, the tramp of troops, 
the whiz of arrows, the glancing of spears, the 
rumble of artillery, the roar of guns, the clash 
of arms, the cries of agony, the heaps of dead. 
Carnage ! Carnage ! Oh ! how large a place it 
fills on the pages of history. 

Yet history cannot ignore, if it would, the 
Prince of Peace, who frequently appears in one 
form or another upon the scene and must be 
recognized and heard. Before his commanding 
presence the kings and rulers of the earth 

91 



ewst m.nh* an an 

tremble, and fear, and slink away to take coun- 
sel together against the Lord's anointed, how 
they may defeat his beneficent purposes, bring 
to naught his righteous plans, and ignore his 
demand for universal peace. 

The Jews of old would not only crucify the 
Christ, but his name as w r ell. Yet they are a 
by-word and a hissing, while he lives and his 
name is exalted in the earth evermore. 

In the struggle with Pharaoh he comes off 
victorious. And Saul, Ahab, Nebuchadnezzar, 
Herod, Pilate, and many another beside who has 
defied him, has been cast down and made to 
lick the dust. On the other hand, kings and 
rulers who have honored him have been them- 
selves honored and blessed. "My reward is 
with me," Jesus declares, "to give every man 
according as his work shall be." 

The first Christian Emperor was Constantine 
of Rome. Julius, Emperor of Rome, was con- 
quered by the sign of the cross. 

In the Holy Book of Esther the words God 
and Messiah nowhere appear, yet therein is 
plainly revealed the workings of Divine Provi- 
dence, of the Lord over all blessed forever. So 
it is true upon many pages of history the name 
of Jesus does not appear, yet upon every page 
those who have eyes to see behold the Christ 
present, moving and working among men. 

All history from the very beginning records 
the triumphant march of Christ down the cen- 
turies through the world. And clear and dis- 

92 



Ci)ri0t 3H anD In ZU 

tinct amid all the blood and gore that drips from 
its pages stands the pure and spotless Prince of 
Peace, challenging the admiration and homage 
of mankind. But this same Prince of Peace 
said, "Think not that I am come to send peace 
on earth ; I came not to send peace, but a sword." 
And his words are truth, for he knew what was 
in man, his imperfections, his evil desires, pas- 
sions, ambitions, and lust of power. So that 
with his prophetic eye, looking down the ages, 
he saw the divisions and conflicts his religion 
would cause, the sword unsheathed even in his 
name, and dripping with the blood of the slain, 
and such, owing to the evil nature in man, must 
be before universal and perpetual peace shall be 
brought in. 

First the sword, then peace, peace purchased 
by war, seems to have been the order almost uni- 
formly from the beginning. All the great bless- 
ings we enjoy to-day as a nation, as a Church, 
as individuals were purchased for us at the price 
of human lives. Our civil and religious liberty 
were so bought. Even our salvation was bought 
for us at the price of blood, even the precious 
blood of the Son of God. Peace comes through 
the blood of the cross. 

Without the shedding of blood, we are told, 
there is no remission of sin. Without the sacri- 
fice of human lives there is no great and per- 
manent advance in civilization and liberty. So 
that blood covers all the pages of history. 

93 



€im r 0t 3it anD In ail 

Through it all trickles the blood of the covenant 
which alone preserves its unity and harmony. 

The history of the mighty rulers of earth, 
with scarce an exception, is one of preparation 
for war, battle, and bloodshed ; while Jesus stands 
out conspicuously as the Prince of Peace. True, 
great and terrible wars have been fought in his 
name, and earth has been made drunk with the 
blood of those slain in so-called religious wars, 
and persecutions, for the honor of Christ's name. 
But above all the din and strife his command, 
so often unheeded, has ever rung out, "Put up 
again thy sword into his place." 

To read the history of the world since the 
ascension of Christ and the coming of the Spirit 
at Pentecost is to be impressed with the large 
and commanding place the Church of Christ has 
occupied, and still occupies. History has ever since 
labored to record his marvelous works among 
the sons of men through his Church, which is 
his body upon earth. It has woven itself about 
the Christ, recording the wars and persecutions 
prosecuted in his name, as well as the arts of 
peace, inventions, benevolences, charities, and 
good works that have sprung, miracle like, from 
his teaching and example. It relates discoveries, 
too, with which the Christ and his religion had 
much to do, as in the discovery of America by 
Columbus, the landing in New England of the 
Pilgrim fathers, the opening up of the Dark 
Continent, and many other dark portions of the 
world. 

94 



etm'gt an ano an an 

Christ and Christianity are fashioning history 
now, as ever. Christianity must be recognized 
by statesmen in many forms of legislation. The 
principles laid down by Christ form the founda- 
tion of all Christian countries ; and all the great 
nations of the world are Christian nations. In 
our own land these principles guide, his com- 
mands control, his Spirit animates, in some meas- 
ure at least, the State, and are the basis of its 
laws. 

Time is reckoned before and after the birth 
of Christ, so that Christ is the great center of 
time, as well as of all history. 

The unprejudiced, and reverent and devout 
student of history recognizes, according to the 
blessed assurance of Scripture, that, 'The stars 
in their courses fight against the wicked/' All 
things work together for good to them that love 
God. All things ! And all things work ! And all 
things work together ! And all things work to- 
gether for good! And all things work together 
for good to them that love God! So that all 
these strifes of men, and of nations, are in some 
way, unknown to us, yet well known to God, 
working out under the direction of the Lord 
Christ, and by his Spirit, for good to his people. 

After conflict, peace ! Peace is everywhere 
throughout the earth becoming the longing de- 
sire, and the determined effort of men; and the 
day of peace and good will is hastening on ; and 
shall everywhere prevail, according to the work- 
ing of God's Spirit in and among men, so that 

95 



Cfttf0t 3U anD Sit ail 

after a while the pages of history shall be pure 
and clean from the pollution of human blood 
and gore; and the Blood of the covenant will 
bind together and harmonize all its chapters. 

"And they shall beat their swords into plow- 
shares, and their spears into pruning hooks ; na- 
tion shall not lift up sword against nation, neither 
shall they learn war any more." Signs of the 
fulfilment of this prophecy of Isaiah are very 
conspicuous, and are ever brightening in these 
last days. 

IX. 

CHRIST IN LITERATURE AND SONG. 

Jesus Christ, the perfect One, the One alto- 
gether lovely, draws out the best that is in man 
which finds expression in lofty thoughts, high 
ideals, poetic rhapsodies. 

The best current literature of our day, and 
of the past, too, while in every case it may not 
directly set forth the person, teaching, work and 
religion of the Lord Jesus, yet does so indirectly. 

A popular form of fiction is the religious novel 
in which in the setting of the story certain 
dogmas or doctrines of the Church and of the 
Christian religion are discussed, or certain char- 
acteristics of Christian people are brought out 
in bold relief. It would seem that if one would 
approve or discredit any religious method or 
doctrine he must have recourse to fiction; and 

9 6 



C&ti0t an anD M an 

inweave his views in the tale, if he would at- 
tract the attention of the public, who are ready 
rather to read the fascinating story than the dry 
treatise. 

Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," with a circu- 
lation less only perhaps than the Bible itself, is a 
sublime allegory full of Scriptural truth, and 
has had doubtless a greater influence for good 
than any other book, save only the volume of 
Holy Writ. Read and pondered more by former 
generations than the present, it made our fore- 
fathers strong and sturdy Christians. 

"Uncle Tom's Cabin/' pervaded with the spirit 
of Christian liberty and freedom, exerted a 
tremendous influence in its day. 

"George Macdonald and Charles Kingsley 
wrote no novels without distinctly Christian as- 
sumptions." And a host of novelists and 
writers, whose name is legion, have appeared 
who, directly or indirectly, do honor to the 
Christ, his teachings, his religion, his people. 

Remove Christ and all his name stands for 
from literature and there remains but a dead, 
mummied mass of inconsequential and unbene- 
ficial material fit only for the burning. 

In poetry as in prose Jesus Christ is con- 
spicuous. 

Cynewulf's great poem, "The Christ," breathes 
with pathos and drama, supplication and devo- 
tion, piety and joy. Dr. Stubbs refers to it as, 
"This noble story of our salvation with its 
trumpet-tongued passages of joy and piety; its 

97 



pathetic wailing lyrics of passionate prayer and 
supplication ; its vivid dramatic pictures ; its rush- 
ing choric outbursts of praise and victory." 

Moore's "Lalla Rookh," while a fairy tale 
with a mythological setting, is yet instinct with 
the spirit of the Gospel of Christ, in keeping 
with the declaration of the sweet singer of Israel 
many centuries before, "The sacrifices of God 
are a broken spirit and a contrite heart." Tenny- 
son's "In Memoriam" is a message of faith in 
the Christ; and Mrs. Browning touches on the 
gospel of reform which is in the Gospel of 
Christ. Browning, and many other great poets 
in all lands and in all the ages since the coming 
of the Son of God, have sung his praises. 

Even Shakespeare, the worldly poet, who oc- 
cupies the anomalous position among the master 
poets as being nearly totally without a philosophy 
and without a religion, can not altogether ignore 
the Christ and his religion — as in "Richard II.," 

"Many a time hath banished Norfolk fought 
For Jesu Christ in glorious Christian field 
And there, at Venice gave 
His body to that pleasant country's earth 
And his pure soul unto his Captain Christ, 
Under whose colors he had fought so long." 

Shakespeare's female characters, most of them, 
could be produced under no social system that 
is not completely saturated with Christianity. 

"Dante, Tasso, Milton, Pollok, Bickersteth, 
98 



e&tigt m ana an an 

Arnold, and others beside," says Featherstun, 
"have attempted to give the ideal epic of Jesus. 
All have failed. It yet remains to be written; 
and probably never will be." 

Christ in the heart sets the voice atune to the 
praise of God. His indwelling in the soul en- 
ables it to rise to the sublimest heights of sacred 
song; even to catch the notes of the angels as 
they chant, "Glory to God in the highest." Glory 
to God in the highest strains. Glory to God 
in the highest degree. So that Christ is the 
center of sacred song as well as of art and re- 
ligion ; and from him music has drawn its deep- 
est and noblest inspiration. The sweetest hymns 
in all the ages are those which celebrate the 
events of his life and the limitless wealth of 
mercy, and grace, and peace, and joy, and hope 
that are treasured up in him. 

"The hymns of Jesus," says Dr. Philip Schaff, 
are the Holy of holies in the temple of sacred 
poetry. From this sanctuary every doubt is 
banished ; here the passions of sense, pride, and 
unholy ambition give way to tears of penitence, 
the joys of faith, the emotions of love, the aspira- 
tions of hope, the anticipations of heaven ; here 
the dissensions of rival Churches and theological 
schools are hushed into silence; here the hymn- 
ists of ancient, mediaeval, and modern times, from 
every section of Christendom — profound di- 
vines, stately bishops, humble monks, faithful 
pastors, devout laymen, holy women, unite with 
one voice in the common adoration of a common 

99 



Cfttigt 311 attD In m 

Saviour. He is the theme of all ages, tongues, 
and creeds, the divine harmony of all human 
discords, the solution of all the dark problems 
of life. 

"What an argument this for the great mys- 
tery of 'God manifest in the flesh/ and for the 
communion of saints! Where is the human 
being, however great and good, that could open 
such a stream of grateful song, ever widening 
and deepening from generation to generation, in 
every land!" 

Jesus draws out the heart's love, and devo- 
tion, and%fesponse as no other has, nor can. And 
the expression of this devotion in song, coming 
forth from the depth of the heart, glows with 
the fire of love. 

The Holy Scriptures abound in poetry, — 
Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. Its sa- 
cred pages are aglow with praise unto God and 
unto his Christ. 

The Songs of Moses, and of Miriam, and of 
Isaiah, and of many others are full of his praise. 

The Psalms of David have been through all 
the generations of God's people since a source 
of comfort, joy, inspiration, courage, hope un- 
speakable. They have formed the psalmody of 
the Church of God, and the source from which 
many of its grandest hymns have come. 

Of all Old Testament poems one of the rich- 
est and most exquisite is the Song of Solomon, 
in which Christ appears as the Lover and the Be- 
loved. 

ioo 



Cftrfgt 311 anD Kn ail 

There are strains of poetry in the New Testa- 
ment, too — the magnificat, the hymn of the an- 
gels, the nunc dimittis, Paul's poem on charity, 
or love, the Revelation, and much beside. The 
teachings of Jesus were pervaded with poetical 
expressions of matchless beauty and charm. 

The old Latin hymns, written amid strange 
and varied experiences, amid fiery trials, and 
grievous sorrows, are aflame with the fervor of 
devotion. 

Hear St. Bernard as he sings: 

"Jesu! the very thought of Thee 
With sweetness fills my breast." 

And again: 

"Heart of Christ, my King! I greet Thee: 

Gladly goes my heart to meet Thee; 
To embrace Thee now it burnetii." 

And again: 

"Jesu, Thou joy of loving hearts 
We turn unfilled to Thee again." 

And Fortunatus, as he calls upon his tongue 
to celebrate the Saviour's battle. 

Hear Anatolius, Patriarch of Constantinople, 
as he sings: 

"Fierce was the billow wild, 

Dark was the night. 
Oars labored heavily, 

Foam glimmered white: 

IOI 



Cftttgt 311 anP In 311 

Mariners trembled 

Peril was nigh; 
Then said the God of God : 

'Peace! It is V n 

And Stephen, the Sabaite, as in song* he calls 
upon all who are weary, and languid, and sore 
distressed to come unto Jesus for rest. 

And again to Bernard of Cluny as he sings 
of Jerusalem the golden, where the halls of Zion 
are jubilant with song, where is the throne of 
David, where are angels and conquerors, clad 
in white, where is the Prince of glory, Jesus 
Christ, and where holy joys and radiancy of 
glory baffle all human effort to conceive. 

Grand and stirring hymns of faith and devo- 
tion were born of the Reformation, among which 
stands out preeminently Luther's battle hymn, 
"Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" and Calvin's 
hymn: 

"I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art, 
True Bridegroom and sole Saviour of my 
heart." 

Milton's hymn of The Nativity scintillates 
and sparkles with the brightness and beauty of 
the Star of old. 

How rich the centuries since in sacred poetry ! 
Hymn writers a great multitude of them ! Some 
of Moore's sacred poems are familiar, and have 
found a place in our hymnology. Watts, Top- 

I02 



€W#t m ana m au 

lady, Bonar, Palmer, Wesley, Montgomery, He- 
ber, Doddridge, Newton, Steele, Keble, Kelly, 
Sankey, Brooks, Havergal, Crosby — their name 
is legion. 

Whittier and Longfellow, too, loved to sing 
of Jesus; and Holland in his "Bitter-Sweet," 
says: 

"Christ bought the keys of Paradise 
By cruel bleeding." 

And again, "Christ was slain that we might be 
transformed." 

The sweet, lofty, stirring, and inspiring 
strains of the later hymn writers are familiar to 
every lover of sacred music. And well have 
these men and women gathered up and ex- 
pressed the various experiences, emotions, senti- 
ments, and feelings of their own and their fel- 
lows, and set them to music to the honor and 
glory of Jesus the Saviour. 

While there are many hymns of praise unto 
God the Father, and unto God the Spirit in 
Christian hymnology, yet by far the greater 
number are hymns of praise unto God the Son. 

God's standard of music is far different from 
man's. The singing of the grand choruses and 
oratorios of the great masters by choirs with 
exquisitely trained voices unprompted by the 
Spirit of God is not acceptable unto the Lord; 
while the song of the poor man or woman in 
cracked and quavering voice, yet in whose heart 

103 



Cfrtfet 311 and In 3H 

Christ dwells, is most pleasing unto him. In 
one case Christ is in the song, in the other not. 
There is lip-song, and there is heart-song. It 
is the heart-song to which the Lord is pleased 
to listen. He bends eagerly forward to catch 
every note of praise that rises to him from a 
Spirit-filled heart, and he blesses the singer with 
the rich gifts of his grace. 



X. 

CHRIST IN ART. 

Art kneels before the Christ of God, and, 
opening up its treasures, presents unto him its 
most precious gifts. Christ and the religion of 
Christ transfuse art. 

All the great artists in music, architecture, 
sculpture, have been inspired by the thought of 
the Christ, and of those like unto him. The 
subjects of the great masterpieces of art are, 
therefore, of Christ and his followers, and of 
places and incidents related in some way to him 
and to them. 

In the realm of music the master-composers 
Beethoven, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, 
put their best thoughts, their thought of Christ, 
into music. Handel, the great oratorio com- 
poser, wrote his first Passion Oratorio when but 
nineteen years of age. In the Oratorio of the 
Messiah, in which his genius culminated, the 

104 



Cftti0t ail anD In 3U 

plan of salvation is set forth in the most im- 
pressive and pathetic form. In his criticism of 
this matchless work Statham says, "The open- 
ing recitative, 'Comfort ye, my people/ is unsur- 
passable in beauty and appropriateness, as repre- 
senting the first dawn of hope and promise to a 
people walking in darkness. The subject is 
carried on from point to point with new beauties ; 
such as the simple and naive illustration of that 
exquisite legend of the angels appearing to the 
shepherds ; the solemn chorus, 'Behold the Lamb 
of God/ which forms the index, as it were, to the 
story of the Passion in the second part; the in- 
tense pathos of the song, 'He was despised and 
rejected/ and of the succeeding chain of choruses 
in which the 'Passion' scenes are illustrated ; and 
so on from step to step till the real climax of 
the work is reached in the 'Hallelujah/ " 

Until Christ came the hymn of praise held a 
very subordinate place in religious worship. 

Before the coming of Christ the Temple at 
Jerusalem, the earthly dwelling place of the Lord 
of heaven and earth, was lavishly adorned by 
the Jews ; while the Gentiles expended upon their 
temples and sacred images the wealth of genius. 
The Greeks excelled all others in artistic con- 
ceptions, powers, and realization ; and their best 
work appears in the temples and statues of their 
gods. All these were the vain shadow whose 
substance is Christ. 

The thought of the Christian architect is that 
the Christ deserves the very best, nothing can 

105 



Cftti0t ail and M an 

be too good for him, and so the very best that 
man can devise and build is erected to the honor 
and glory of his holy name. In the architecture 
of the church edifice the cross, the symbol of 
sacrifice and salvation, holds a conspicuous place 
in the shape of the building, and in the finishing 
of tower, spire, and dome. 

The vast St. Peter's, the exquisite cathedral 
of Milan, the magnificent cathedral of Cologne, 
the great Westminster Abbey, the chaste Grace 
Episcopal church of New York, the splendid 
cathedral of New York, the beautiful First Pres- 
byterian church of Baltimore are but a few of 
the more conspicuous and admirable of fhe in- 
numerable fine cathedrals, churches, and chapels 
to be found in all parts of Christendom. 

Michael Angelo and Corregio have expended 
their best endeavor to carve the Christ in marble. 
Robbia's fine group in marble adorns the con- 
vent of La Verna, Italy. Tintoretto, Fra An- 
gelico, La Farge and a host of other sculptors 
have sought to portray the Saviour of men. 

Workers in gold, and silver, and bronze, too, 
have sought to make visible their conceptions of 
the Christ. The great bronze doors of the Bap- 
tistery of Florence, designed by Ghiberti, de- 
picts the life of our Lord in twenty scenes. 

Upon Christian temples and statues have been 
expended thought and labor, and treasure be- 
yond compare. 

The earthly life of the Saviour has furnished 
an inexhaustible theme for painters; and his 

106 



Cfrrist 3H antt In 311 

whole life is set forth in the matchless produc- 
tions of the greatest of the artists, many of which 
adorn cathedrals and chapels. 

In the church of St. Vincent de Paul, Paris, 
hangs a popular masterpiece, The Adoration of 
the Magi, by the classic, modern French artist, 
Bouguereau. Albert Durer has painted the So- 
journ in Egypt; and Murillo, the Christ-child 
with wonderful power and sweetness. A re- 
cently painted head of Christ, by Munier, of 
Paris, is deserving of high praise. The Baptism 
of Christ is one of the favorite themes of great 
artists, Purugino having painted it four times ; 
Verocchio, twice; Paolo, twice; Fra Angelico, 
three times; and Robbia, Cima da Conegliano, 
Bellini, Du Mond, have also thrown the scene 
upon canvas. Botticelli, Tintoretto, Tissot, and 
others have portrayed the Temptation. Wohlge- 
muth, an early German painter, has presented a 
work of considerable merit in his Christ Calling 
the Apostles. 

Ghirlandajo was summoned to Rome by Pope 
Sixtus in the early part of the sixteenth century 
to assist in the stupendous work of decorating 
the Sistine Chapel, and to him was apportioned 
the Calling of Andrew and Peter and the sons 
of Zebedee, including also the Miraculous 
Draught of Fishes ; and well was his work done. 
Rubens, too, has painted the Miraculous Draught 
of Fishes, which is full of life and action. And 
Gaspard de Craeyer, another Flemish painter, 
has also depicted the scene. 

107 



Cittigt 311 anD 3tt 3U 

Rembrandt, Jouvenet, Overbeck, Zimmerman, 
and others have chosen the Healing of the Sick 
as their theme. 

Hofman's impressive picture, "Behold! I 
Stand at the Door and Knock," and Holman 
Hunt's familiar picture, The Light of the World, 
are great religious paintings. 

Very naturally the Transfiguration called 
forth the noble effort of the old masters, and of 
painters of more modern times, from the Ve- 
netian school down to the present day. Pre- 
eminent among them all in the portrayal of this 
scene is Raphael. This painting of his in the 
Vatican at Rome is one of the choice master- 
pieces of art. 

The Raising of Lazarus, The Return of the 
Prodigal, Christ and the Adulteress, Christ Bless- 
ing Little Children, and many other scenes and 
incidents in the earthly life of our Lord have 
been realistically depicted upon canvas by artists 
of world-wide celebrity. 

Many have painted the Madonna and Holy 
Child. But the closing scenes in the life of 
Jesus — his entry into Jerusalem, his home at 
Bethany, his betrayal, trial, crucifixion, resur- 
rection, and ascension have been graphically pic- 
tured upon canvas by many of the most cele- 
brated artists. And among them all, perhaps, 
none are so realistic, so well known, and so ad- 
mired as Hofmann's Christ in Gethsemane; Da 
Vinci's Last Supper ; and Reuben's Descent from 
the Cress. Munkacsy's Christ Before Pilate has 

108 



Cf)ri0t an atiD %n mi 

become familiar through the many cheap copies 
made from it. 

Other famous artists who have delighted to 
paint the Christ are Gomez, Giotto, Ribera, Peru- 
gino, Cimabue, Titian, Scheffer. 

Every step in the life of Jesus Christ has been 
preserved in art; so that were the Holy Gospels 
destroyed, from the paintings of the great 
masters the earthly life of our Lord could be 
followed. 

Jesus the Christ is the One altogether lovely. 
His moral and spiritual beauty are perfect. He 
is, therefore, the faultless model, not only for 
artists, but for all to copy who would make their 
lives beautiful and admirable. 



XL 
CHRIST IN SCIENCE. 

Is Christ in science ? Is he to be found among 
the chemist's crucibles, and in the scientist's study 
and workshop? Oh! yes, there as everywhere. 

If Christ be the Maker of all things, then all 
things must bear evidence of his handywork. 
And that all things do bear abundant evidence 
of his creative hand a careful study of things 
will satisfy the unprejudiced mind. 

This is preeminently a scientific age. Elec- 
tricity is applied in numerous ways. Steam is 
adapted in every way it would seem to the mul- 

109 



Ct)ti0t 3H attD Kit ZU 

tiform service of man. Astronomy, geology, 
botany, mathematics, chemistry, medicine — look 
into these and into every other department of 
science, and lo! the Christ is revealed with more 
or less distinctness. In our Natural Philosophy 
Christ is a necessity. He is the Interpreter of 
Nature, for he is the Maker and Lord of Nature. 
Christ over everything; Christ in everything; 
Christ above everything. 

To the Christian all science is Christo-centric. 
Paul believed in a Natural Theology. The 
wicked Gentiles he declared to be without ex- 
cuse because "The invisible things of him (God) 
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, 
being understood by the things that are made, 
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that 
they are without excuse" (Romans, i :2o). 

Matter, energy, light, life — these are not self- 
created and self-existent. "All things/' declares 
John, "were made by him (Christ) ; and with- 
out him was not anything made that was made." 
Therefore Christ loved nature, and rejoiced in 
nature, and thoroughly understood nature. All 
things are known to the Christ. 

Man is far below him, taking his place between 
the telescope and the microscope. In all three 
spheres there are marvels of creative genius. 
And "Christ is all, and in all" 

There is a science falsely so called, a Christ- 
less science, against which the Apostle warns us, 
"Avoid profane and vain babblings, and opposi- 

IIO 



Cfrtigt ail anO In an 

tions of science falsely so called." Such science 
is untrue, and hence utterly unworthy of belief. 

Brewster, Stokes, Faraday, Henry, and others 
were true scientists and eminent Christians as 
well; and have discovered no contradiction be- 
tween the revelation of. God in Nature and in the 
Book. 

The day is fast approaching when fair Science 
will cast her crown at the feet of the Christ, 
and hail him Son of man and Son of God — of 
whom, and through whom, and to whom are all 
things — God blessed forever. 



XII. 
CHRIST IN PHILOSOPHY. 

The word "philosophy," derived from the two 
Greek words, "philein," to love, and "sophia," 
wisdom, means the love of wisdom. The phil- 
osopher, therefore, is one who, through his love 
of wisdom, is led to the study and acquirement 
of knowledge in all its manifold branches, and 
especially with regard to the Supreme Being, the 
supernatural world, nature, and man as an in- 
tellectual, moral, and social being. 

There were several schools of Greek Phil- 
osophy that exerted considerable influence upon 
the more intelligent people before the coming 
of Jesus, and during the time of his appearance 
among men. And these we shall consider at 

in 



egtfet m anp in an 

considerable length that by contrast the sim- 
plicity, beauty, and perfection of the philosophy 
of Jesus may shine out the clearer and brighter. 

The School of Stoics, of which Zeno was the 
founder, regarded the Supreme Being as em- 
bracing in himself the totality of being. So that 
the question, What is God? was answered by 
the question, What is God not? Or, by Lucian, 
who declared that all that is seen, yea, all that 
moves is God. Thus the Stoics were Pantheists, 
and consistently held that shrines, temples, 
images, altars, sacrifices, prayers, worship were 
of no avail. 

The soul of man they considered to be ma- 
terial, as well as the body; and, hence, immor- 
tality was not claimed for it. At best it would 
exist only until the absorption of all things in 
the Divine. Some Stoics, however, reserved this 
privilege for the souls of the wise only; while 
all other souls would die and be dissolved even 
as the body. Thus the Stoics were not only 
Pantheists, but also Materialists. 

Sin was held to be a necessity. Marcus Aure- 
lius, one of the greatest of the Stoics, declared 
that, "He who would not have the vile do wrong 
is like one who would not have the fig-tree bear 
juice in her figs, or infants scream, or the horse 
neigh, or anything else that is the order of 
things." It was affirmed by this School, too, 
that "Like the vulgar jest in the play, evil might 
be offensive, but (blended with the whole it 
heightened the general effect; and that it was 

112 



Cim'gt ail ant) In 3U 

here to train character, and to be, therefore, 
finally transmuted into good." 

Cicero, an orthodox Stoic, taught that "Death 
and the time of death are things indifferent. 
When the bulk of a man's circumstances are in 
accord with nature, it is appropriate for him to 
remain in life ; when the balance is on the other 
side, or seems likely to be so, it is appropriate for 
such a man to quit life." Thus suicide under 
certain conditions was regarled as not only per- 
missible, but praiseworthy. 

Later Stoics, Marcus Aurelius for example, held 
that sometimes souls after death return to earth. 
And so, transmigration of souls was considered 
worthy of belief. 

The chief aim and end in life, according to the 
teaching of this School, was to acquire knowl- 
edge, to seek wisdom, to be wise, for to be wise 
is to be good, and to be good is all that is re- 
quired for this life, and for absorption at last 
into the Divine life. But as for the wicked, those 
who fail to become wise, they shall be annihil- 
ated body and soul. Death ends all. 

Plato, regarded as one of the greatest of phil- 
osophers, who was born in Athens in the year 
B. C. 427, and died eighty years later, founded 
the Platonic School. 

He taught that there are two worlds, the one 
of sense ; the other of reason. 

He did not enter into, nor did he seem clear 
about, the origin and seat of evil. But since 
this earthly life is full of evil the wise will retire 

113 



Cftttgf ail and M 3U 

from the world, and find refuge as quickly as 
possible in the Divine presence. 

He conceived of the soul in the body as in 
prison, as it were, and which could free itself 
only by knowledge and virtue. 

He taught the migration of souls, adopting ten 
grades of transmigration, each of one thousand 
years. "Philosophers, or the wise, escape after 
a threefold migration, and return finally to an 
incorporeal presence with God. In transmigra- 
tion men who have led an impure life must 
change their sex; and if they continue to pur- 
sue an evil life, must pass into the bodies of those 
beasts to which their habits most nearly cor- 
respond/' 

Another important School of Philosophy of 
that time was the Cynic, founded by Antisthenes, 
an Athenian, who flourished about B. C. 366. 

The Cynics considered themselves to have 
passed into full possession of truth; and with 
all other moral philosophers regarded happiness 
as the chief good. 

They held to the idea of one Supreme Being, 
and rejected all conceptions of lesser gods. 
Prayers, sacrifices, oracles, were of no avail. 
God, they said, is pleased with virtue only; and 
he is wise who so honors him. 

Pleasure they regarded as the greatest evil. 
But inconsistently enough admitted there was a 
certain kind of pleasure, that which was not fol- 
lowed by remorse, that might be rightfully in- 
dulged in. 

114 



Cfrrfet 311 anti Hn 311 

Virtue alone, they believed, brings happiness; 
and virtue consists in wisdom or prudence ; and 
virtue is the result of teaching. Reason is the 
only thing which gives value to life. Wisdom is 
the principal thing to be sought. 

Nothing, excepting virtue and vice, is of any 
concern to man. Logically this doctrine was 
destructive of knowledge. 

"The goal of the Cynics could only be reached 
by entirely renouncing all enjoyment, by limit- 
ing wants to what is absolutely indispensable, by 
deadening feelings to outward impressions, and 
by cultivating indifference to all that is not in our 
own power." So these followers of Antisthenes 
lived and dressed as beggars ; for as virtue alone 
is good, and vice alone is evil, wealth and pov- 
erty, health and sickness, life and death, are to 
the wise man of absolutely no moment. And 
they reserved to themselves, as did the Stoics, 
the right to commit suicide. 

Death ends all. Man dies as the beast of the 
field and is no whither. A hopeless philosophy 
full of despair! 

The Epicurean School of Philosophy wa,s 
founded by Epicurus, in his garden in the city 
of Athens, in the year B. C. 306 ; and in spite of 
the doctrines he promulged his mode of life is 
said to have been frugal and abstemious, and his 
character above reproach. 

He taught that God is a Being blessed and 
immortal, who wishes nothing, and does noth- 
ing, but rejoices in his own wisdom and virtue, 

us 



assured that his state will always be one of the 
highest felicity eternally prolonged. "There is 
no plan in nature," declares Epicurus, "that can 
be referred to supernatural will or agency." In 
his system of philosophy, therefore, God neither 
creates, nor sustains, nor destroys; and is indif- 
ferent to the world and its inhabitants. And so 
the works of creation, providence, and grace are 
not attributed unto God. 

The Epicureans believed in lesser deities, gods 
many. But as these gods are far removed from 
men, and entirely indifferent to their affairs, 
therefore, man has nothing either to fear or to 
hope from them. And, hence, prayers, vows, 
sacrifices, are all in vain. 

"Of the gods/' said Protagoras of Abdera, "I 
know nothing, neither whether they be, nor 
whether they be not." 

The idea Epicurus seems to have had of the 
world was that of a great piece of mechanism 
made by chance, and kept moving in the same 
way. 

Of the soul this School taught that it is a 
corporeal thing, coming into the world with the 
body; and is composed of fine particles, a mix- 
ture of wind and heat dispersed all over the 
body ; and at death dissolves into ether. And so 
annihilation is the end of the soul as of the body. 
Diogenes said, "We are born once ; twice we can 
not be; and for everlasting we must be non- 
existent." 

116 



eSrigt 311 anD In 311 

The wisdom of the Epicureans was aesthetic 
enjoyment. A gross sensuality was joined to 
their materialistic metaphysics. Pleasure was 
declared to be the chief good ; and no pleasure is 
evil in itself. Metrodarus, the favorite disciple 
of Epicurus, used to say that, "The belly is the 
place where centers all philosophy that is con- 
formable to nature." And Epicurus himself held 
that the pleasures of the belly were the root and 
principle of all good. And there are many prac- 
tical Epicureans among us to-day. 

Epicurus would dissuade the wise man from 
marriage because of the cares and responsibili- 
ties that follow in its wake; and for the same 
reason also the avoidance of public affairs. 

Surely a selfish and sensual philosophy this of 
the Epicureans! 

Passing from these old Grecian Philosophies, 
in which there are some precepts to be com- 
mended, for some truths were taught, we come 
now to the consideration of the Jewish System 
of Philosophy. 

Solomon, the man gifted in wisdom above all 
the sons of men (I. Kings, 4:29-34), out of his 
own experience coined his philosophy, and 
summed it up in his Books of Proverbs and 
Ecclesiastes. 

He believed in one God, though in practise he 
denied it ; and this God of whom he taught dwelt 
in heaven, but was deeply interested in all the 
affairs of men. 

117 



cbtm an ana an an 

The curse of God rests upon the wicked, and 
his blessing upon the righteous (Proverbs, 3:33; 
Proverbs, 15:9). 

This God is severe upon all the sins of men — 
intemperance, gluttony, lusts of the flesh, envy, 
pride, indolence, selfishness, the hoarding of 
riches, the going in the way of evil men, the 
covering over of sins, and so on. 

It is not in the power of man to cleanse him- 
self from sin (Proverbs, 20:9). 

Solomon personifies and lauds true wisdom, 
which is a gift from God, and the beginning of 
which is the fear of the Lord (Proverbs, 1:20; 
Proverbs, 2:6; Proverbs, 8; Proverbs, 4:5-9; 
Proverbs, 9:10). 

This world, with all its pleasures, and treas- 
ures, and power, and glory, he affirms, can not 
satisfy the soul of man. 

This life is all a vain show (Ecclesiastes, 1 and 
2). It is the bitter wail of the disappointed spirit. 

"Fear God and keep his commandments, for 
this is the whole of man" (Ecclesiastes, 12:13 
and 14), is his grand conclusion, his sublime rule 
of life. 

Other Jewish writers and philosophers arose 
from time to time, and their "words of wisdom" 
are gathered up and preserved in the expansive 
Book of the Talmud. 

Strictly speaking, however, the Talmud can 
hardly be called a system of philosophy, for it 
embodies the canonical and civil laws of the 
Jews; and consists of a Mishna as text, and a 

118 



cttf0t m anp m m 

voluminous collection of commentaries and illus- 
trations called Gemara. Yet often, though not 
always, the Hagadah — that is, a saying, inci- 
dent, anecdote, legend, or illustration — enfolds a 
philosophic meaning under the vail of allegory, 
myth, ethical story, Oriental romance, parable, 
fable, or aphorism. 

It has been called, "An immense heap of rub- 
bish, at the bottom of which a few bright pearls 
of Eastern wisdom are to be found." And again, 
"That wonderful monument of human industry, 
human wisdom, and human folly/' and, we might 
add, blasphemy. As an example of the latter, 
God is represented as busy, but about what? 
Why, praying unto himself, studying and recit- 
ing lessons from the rabbins, talking with men 
and in a way far from God-like. 

Dr. Milman, in his "History of the Jews," says 
of the Talmud, "The reader at each successive 
extract from this extraordinary compilation, hesi- 
tates whether to admire the vein of profound al- 
legorical truth and the pleasing moral apologue, 
to smile at the monstrous extravagance, or to 
shudder at the daring blasphemy." 

A modern Jewish writer, H. Hurwitz, is 
quoted as saying, "But while I should be among 
the first to protest against any confusion of the 
Talmudic rills with the ever-flowing stream of 
Holy Writ, I do not hesitate to avow my doubts 
whether there exists any uninspired work of 
antiquity that contains more interesting, more 
various and valuable information than that of the 

119 



Cfttist ail anD M 311 

still existing remains of the ancient Hebrew 
sages." 

Says another writer, "This great encyclopaedia 
teems with error, and that in almost every de- 
partment in science, in natural history, in chron- 
ology* genealogy, logic and morals, falsehood 
and mistake are mixed up with truth upon its 
pages; . . . notwithstanding all its imper- 
fections, it is a useful book, an attestation of the 
past, a criterion of progress already attained, and 
a prophecy of the future. It is a witness, too, of 
the length of folly to which the mind of man 
may drift when he disowns the wisdom of God 
as revealed in the Gospel." 

In all these false Systems of Philosophy there 
is some good ; in the Jewish, much that is good. 
And the good in all of them was but the glim- 
mering of the clear and perfect light of truth re- 
vealed in and by Jesus the Christ. All of these 
philosophers of the ancient time were groping, 
feeling after, truth amid misery, hopelessness 
and despair. 

"God gave unto Solomon wisdom and under- 
standing exceeding much, and largeness of 
heart," so that he is preeminent as the wisest of 
men. But unto Jesus Christ the Spirit of God 
was given without measure, and grace was 
poured into his lips. 

In marked contrast with all these Systems of 
Philosophy of past ages, and in no less marked 
contrast with those of later date, stands the plain, 
simple Philosophy of Jesus. 

I20 



Cfttfgt 311 anP 3n 3H 

The teachings of the Christ overtop the teach- 
ings of all others, for they are pervaded and 
saturated with the verities of truth. His keen- 
est insight into the deepest mysteries of nature, 
of science, of human thought; his profound 
knowledge of God, and of all things, and his 
simple and direct way of presenting truth have 
made him the ideal Philosopher of all the ages. 

In the "Sermon on the Mount/' or rather in- 
augural address, of Jesus as King of the King- 
dom of heaven, in his matchless parables and 
other discourses addressed to the common peo- 
ple, who heard him gladly, and in his quiet talks 
with his twelve Disciples, we find the sublimest 
philosophy. 

That the teachings of Jesus have influenced, 
and have been interwoven with, the highest and 
best Systems of Philosophy since his time a care- 
ful study of the subject will show. Even the 
enemies of the Christ are sometimes compelled 
to draw arms from his armory. 

Let us look, then, more specifically into the 
wonderful and incomparable teachings of this 
greatest of philosophers. 

"Behold, a greater than Solomon is here." 
"Never man spake like this man." "He that 
hath ears to hear, let him hear." 

Jesus taught that God is (i) a Spirit, and as 
such is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth 
(John, 4:24). (2) He is to be feared, to be held 
in awe and reverence (Luke, 12:5). (3) To 
him should be rendered his due, namely, the de- 

121 



canst 311 atto %n an 

votion, love, worship, trust, obedience, service of 
the sons of men (Matthew, 22:21 and 37; Mark, 
11:22). (4) There is trinity in the unity of 
God (John, 10:30; John, 15:26). (5) God is 
not indolent and idle, supinely happy in his own 
exaltation, but a mighty worker in the ways of 
providence and grace (John, 5:17). (6) He 
raises up and quickens the dead (John, 5:21). 
(7) He is a Father, with a father's personality, 
intelligence, love, and care (Matthew, 10:29; 
John, 3:16). (8) He is our Father, our Father 
in heaven, with his heart full of love for men, 
listening to their prayers, and supplying their 
need (Matthew, 6:9). 

Of himself Jesus taught that (1) He is the 
Son of God, equal to, and one with, the Father 
(John, 10:30; John, 17:22). (2) He is the 
promised Messiah (John, 4:25 and 26). (3) He 
is the Door of entrance into the Kingdom of God, 
and the Vine to which his people are vitally 
joined (John 10:7; John, 15:1 and 5. (4) He is 
the Water of life, and the living Bread from 
heaven (John, 4:13 and 14; John, 6:32-35). 
(5) He came to bless and help men, to minister 
to their necessities, to go before them and set 
them a perfect example (Luke, 4:18, 19 and 21 ; 
John, 13 : 13-17. (6) His chief mission to earth 
was to redeem and save lost men (Luke, 19:10). 
(7) He is the Way, the Truth, the Atonement, 
the Sacrifice for sin (John, 10:15; John, 3:14- 
17; John, 14:6). (8) He has overcome the 
world (John, 16:33). (9) He is the Resurrec- 

122 



Cftcfgt ail atiD gn 311 

tion and the Life; and all who believe in him 
shall not be hurt of the second death, but shall 
live forever with him in glory (John, 14 :6 ; John, 
11 125 and 26). (10) Ascended on high he will 
prepare a place in the Father's home for all his 
people (John, 14:2 and 3.) (11) He is the 
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 
He is the Root of David, and the bright and 
morning Star (Revelation, 22:13 and 16). (12) 
He is alive forevermore, and carries at his girdle 
the keys of death and of hell (Revelation, 1 :i8). 
(13) He is the Judge of all (John, 5 '.22). 

Of the Holy Spirit he taught that (1) he is 
a Person, one with the Father and the Son, the 
Comforter, the infallible Guide into all truth, 
and the Revealer of Christ (John, 15:26; John, 
16:7, 13 and 14). (2) His work is manifold 
(John, 16:7-15). (3) Hequickens (John, 6:63). 
(4) He is the Divine Agent in the new birth 
(John, 3:5 and 6). (5) He is the Spirit of 
Truth dwelling with men (John, 14:17). (6) 
He is the infallible Teacher, Inspirer, Guide, and 
Helper of the individual Christian and of the 
Church (Revelation, 2\J\ John, 16:12 and 14). 

As to man Jesus taught that (1) he is body 
and soul, flesh and spirit (Mark, 14:38). (2) 
He is a sinner, loving darkness rather than light, 
whose deeds are evil (John, 3:19 and 20). (3) 
The rich fool says to himself, "Soul, take thine 
ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said 
unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be 
required of thee" (Luke, 12:19 and 20). (4) All 

123 



cgtfct an m* an an 

shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ 
to be judged according to the deeds done in the 
body (Matthew, 25:31-46). (5) His spirit is 
to be nourished by the Word of God, and the 
indwelling Christ (Matthew, 4:4; John, 6:27 and 
33). (6) He is the child of God (Matthew, 
7:11). (7) All are the objects of God's love 
(John, 3:16). (8) Faith in Jesus the Christ 
saves the soul (John, 3:14-17). (9) The wicked, 
those who finally reject Jesus, are of the devil, 
and are finally lost (John, 8:42-44; Mark, 3 -.29). 
(10) To all men the gift of eternal life through 
Jesus Christ is freely offered (John, 6:39, and 
53-58 ; John, 10 128) . (11) All shall be raised up 
at the last day, and there shall be two kinds of 
resurrection (John, 5:28 and 29). 

Man's duty Jesus declared to be ( 1 ) Supreme 
love to God, and love to fellowmen (Mark, 
12:29-31). (2) To follow and serve Christ, and 
do good (Matthew, 4:19; Matthew, 5 :i6 and 19; 
Matthew, 21:28). (3) Self-denial, and cross- 
bearing (Matthew, 16:24-27). (4) To watch 
and pray (Luke, 21:34-36; Matthew, 26:41). 
(5) To be always ready for the coming of the 
Lord, for death (Matthew, 25:1-13). (6) To 
repent and believe, to repent of sin, to trust in, 
or believe on, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the 
Gospel, the good news of the grace of God 
(Mark, 1 115. (7) To lay up treasures in heaven 
(Matthew, 6:19-21). (8) To be good and loyal 
citizens (Matthew, 22:21). (9) To be born 
again. "Ye must be born again," he said. Birth 

124 



Cfttt0t ail anD Sn 311 

by the Spirit of God is necessary to entrance 
into the spiritual life (John, 3:1-8). 

Regarding the future life Jesus affirmed that 

(1) there are two widely separated places of 
existence for the immortal souls of men, one 
for the righteous, the believers on the Lord 
Jesus Christ; the other, for the unbelievers 
(Matthew, 25:46; John, 5:29; Luke, 16:26). 

(2) Heaven is God's dwelling place, where Jesus 
is, and is an abode of perfect rest, and peace, 
and joy, and bliss, and satisfaction (Matthew, 
6 :g ; John, 14 :3 ; Matthew, 5 :8 and 12 ; Matthew, 
13:43; John, 12:26; John, 17:24). Hell is (1) 
a place of eternal torment (Mark, 9:44, 46 and 
48; Matthew, 25:46; Luke, 16:19-31). (2) It 
was prepared for the devil and his angels, and 
for all the wicked from among men (Matthew, 
25 41). There is no intermediate place or state, 
no purgatory (Luke, 23:43 and 46; John, 14:3; 
Revelation, 3:12). 

Jesus affirmed the existence of the devil, who is 
a person (Matthew, 4:10; John, 13:2). (2) The 
prince of this world (John, 14:30). (3) 
The great enemy and destroyer of mankind 
(Matthew, 13:27, 28 and 39; John, 10:12). (4) 
A murderer and a liar (John, 8:44). (5) And 
the wicked are his children (John, 8:44; 
Matthew, 13:38). 

Holiness Jesus put above happiness, and sets it 
forth as the chief good which all men should 
seek (Matthew, 5:8 and 48; Matthew, 16:26). 

Death is excluded from heaven (Luke, 20:35 

125 



Cjtfg an anD an an 

and 36). Physical death is the result of sin ; and 
spiritual death, the punishment of sin (Luke, 
16:19-31). Deliverance from spiritual death is 
through Christ alone (John, 3:16; John, 5:24). 

After death cometh the judgment when every 
man must give a strict account of himself unto 
the Lord Christ (John 5:22; Luke, 12:47 
and 48). 

As to wisdom Jesus declared that it is (1) 
to hear and do his Word (Matthew, 7:24 and 
25). (2) To be ready at all times for his com- 
ing (Matthew, 25:1-13). (3) In its highest 
form it is a revelation from God (Matthew, 
16:17). (4) The wisdom of this world is vanity 
(Matthew, 11:25-27). 

He affirms the blessedness of righteousness 
(Matthew, 5:6 and 20). 

As opposed to withdrawal from the world as 
taught by Plato, Jesus would send men forth 
into the world to uplift and bless it (Matthew, 
21:28; Matthew, 9:37 and 38; Matthew, 28:18- 
20; Mark, 5:19; Matthew, 10:16). 

He taught the sacredness of human life (Mark, 
10:19; Matthew, 5:17). 

He denounced the carnal affections, the evil 
eye, the wicked thought, the lusts of the flesh, 
and also profane swearing ; and commended, not 
only the forgiveness, but also the love, of enemies 
(Matthew, 5:27-37 and 44; Luke, 17:3 and 4; 
Matthew, 18:21 and 22). 

He pronounced blessed the homely virtues, 
which men had come to despise — poverty of 

126 



Ci)ri0t 311 anD In ail 

spirit, sincere sorrow, meekness, righteousness, 
mercy, purity of heart, peace, patient submission 
to persecution for righteousness' sake (Matthew, 
5:3-12). 

He taught the tremendous importance and 
value of prayer, earnest and importunate prayer 
being never in vain ; and denounced the sin of 
worry and distrust of God (Matthew, 6:6-15; 
Matthew, 6:25-32 and 34; Matthew, 7:7-11). 

He laid down what has been aptly termed the 
Golden Rule of conduct (Matthew, 7:12), and 
showed the first and most important thing for all 
men to seek (Matthew, 6:33). 

The Philosophy of Jesus Christ commends it- 
self to all who desire and seek the best. 

XIII. 

CHRIST IN THE LIFE. 

No longer in visible form does Jesus Christ 
walk with his disciples, nor minister to their 
needs, nor speak to them words of encourage- 
ment, and cheer, and love, and hope, for he has 
ascended on high, and sits with God on the 
throne of his glory, the King of angels, the 
Lord of heaven and earth. Nevertheless, accord- 
ing to his promise, another Comforter, one like 
unto himself in all that pertains to the spirit, 
even the Holy Ghost, the third Person of the 
adorable Trinity, came at Pentecost in mighty 
power upon the little company of Christians as 

127 



Clmst au attg an m 

they were gathered together "With one accord 
in one place" in the city of Jerusalem. And 
ever since he has remained in the Church and 
has dwelt in the hearts of the followers of the 
Christ as Teacher, Guide, Helper, and Comforter. 

While, therefore, Jesus Christ is absent in the 
flesh, he is ever present in the Spirit, with his 
people. He is ever the same, yesterday, and to- 
day, and forever. Therefore his sympathy never 
lessens, nor does his love ever fail, nor does he 
cease to minister to his needy ones. 

The presence of Christ now is not outward 
and visible, but rather inward and spiritual. 
Hence his relation to the soul and the life of 
the believer is now closer and more intimate 
than it was in the days when he walked the earth 
as the Man of Galilee. His disciples now need 
take no long journey to find him, for he is nigh 
unto every one of them, even in their hearts. 
So that they realize his presence within them; 
and the world round about is made aware of the 
indwelling Christ by the Christ-like life they live. 

Jesus Christ looks out through the eyes of his 
saints, and all who look into those eyes may be- 
hold the compassion, and the tenderness, and the 
love of the Christ. He ministers through the 
outstretched hands of his people, and all who 
are blessed by the ministry may realize the help- 
ful presence of the Lord. He runs on errands 
of love and mercy with the feet of his people, 
and all who hear the sound of the footsteps may 
recognize the sound of the coming of Jesus. 

128 



Cjjttet an attD In mi 

He speaks by the mouth of believers, and all 
who listen may be persuaded that it is the voice 
of him who spake as never man spake. 

Thus the Lord Jesus Christ takes full posses- 
sion of the self-surrendered life, and governs 
its powers, uses its talents, and controls it in its 
every part. So the disciple of Christ becomes a 
Christian, an image of Christ, a little Christ — not 
perfect, indeed, yet perfect enough for the Spirit 
of Christ in him to be revealed. 

Christ in the heart can not be hid in the life. 
The glorious light of his presence can not be 
wholly concealed by the vail of flesh. His con- 
stant work in the heart is to work out into the 
life. The man who gives no evidence in his life 
of the Christ in his heart has the witness in 
himself that he is not a child of God. When the 
Sun of righteousness does not shine within the 
soul that soul is left in the shade, which ever 
deepens and blackens into the darkness of eternal 
gloom and despair. 

It is a glory of Christ that he makes his abode 
in the heart, and appears in the life, of his 
humblest servants as well as his greatest ; in the 
lowly women and children who followed him in 
the days of his flesh as in the exalted Apostles ; 
in the obscure disciple to-day as in the conspicu- 
ous worker in his cause. He is no respecter of 
persons. As to their outward circumstances and 
conditions he cares but little as compared with 
their faith, love, and obedience, with regard to 
which he is supremely concerned. 

129 



Christ ail a no M 311 

When the Lord Jesus enters the heart he puri- 
fies and enriches it; and when he controls the 
life he dignifies and ennobles it, and makes it 
fruitful unto the glory of God. And so all be- 
lievers in Christ are made rich in him, and be- 
come kings and priests unto God forever, and 
are adopted into the family of God ; and through 
the Son of God become sons of God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ fills a place in the 
human heart that no other can fill. He satisfies 
the soul of man as no other can ; yea, as it is not 
possible for the whole world to do. As to human 
life it is uncertain, fleeting, short ; but with Christ 
in it. it becomes certain, fixed, immortal. The 
Christ-filled heart, and soul, and life exudes con- 
tinually an unconscious influence that is potent 
for good. It is impossible that it should be 
otherwise. 

Let us, therefore, hear the conclusion of the 
whole matter. The man without Christ in his 
heart and life is of little worth. He is a failure. 
But the Christ-filled man is of inestimable value. 
He is a glorious success. 



XIV. 

CHRIST THE CENTER OF UNION. 

Sin separates : Christ unites. The more nearly, 
therefore, men draw unto Christ, the great cen- 
ter, the more closely do they come together. His 

13° 



Christ m anD In 3U 

cross is the great magnet drawing men unto him, 
and thus bringing them near to each other. 

All men, the Apostle tells us, were made of 
one blood, and were one; but sin, that awful, 
baffling mystery, entered, and men were divided, 
and estranged, antagonizing, hating, destroying 
one another. "History is writ in blood." 

Even into the Church did sin enter, and, as a 
result, schisms arose, and the people of God 
drew apart into opposing camps, and prepared 
for battle. Wars, terrible and devastating, broke 
out. Battles, long and severe, were waged with 
intense fury even in the name of Christ. Perse- 
cutions arose. Fires were kindled. Men, women, 
and even children were consumed in the flames. 
The sword was unsheathed, and men, women, 
and even little ones were put to death. Fields 
were drenched with blood. There were con- 
spicuous "marks of the beast/' even of the devil, 
upon the very Church of Christ; and the world 
looking on in great surprise exclaimed, not, See 
how these brethren love one another. Oh! no. 
But, Behold ! how these Christians hate and de- 
vour each other. 

It seemed as though the warring factions of 
the divided Church could never be brought to- 
gether in harmony. Yet what do we behold to- 
day? We perceive that much of the prejudice, 
and hatred has disappeared, so that Christians 
of one Protestant denomination join hand to 
hand and heart to heart with those of other sects 
in the stupendous benevolent, missionary, and 

I3i 



Ci)ti0t ail atiO an ail 

moral movements of our time. They worship in 
each others churches. Branches of some of the 
great Christian bodies are now coming together 
to form one Church of their name. The Protes- 
tant Episcopal Church is now putting forth effort 
to accomplish a speedy union of all the denomi- 
nations, that there may be one Church in name 
and organization as well as in spirit. 

The Roman and Greek Churches, it is true, 
still stand aloof from other Christians in the 
proud spirit of the Pharisee, We are holier than 
thou. But in view of what has already been 
accomplished in the matter of Church unity, and 
of the magnetic power of the cross of Christ to 
bring Christian peoples together, even this deep 
seated prejudice, and loftiness of spirit, and bit- 
terness of feeling, we may be confident, will in 
time be put away, with all malice; and that 
charity, and peace, and good-will will everywhere 
prevail; so that the world looking on shall be 
constrained to exclaim, not, See how these Chris- 
tians hate and devour each other. But, Behold ! 
how these Christians love one another. And the 
world, beholding the love and unity of the peo- 
ple of God, will believe. 

All men were made of one blood; all men 
were redeemed by one blood, even the blood of 
the Son of God. Now the hostile camps are 
being broken up. The long divided sons of men, 
who hated, fought, and devoured each other dur- 
ing the dark centuries of the past, are being 

132 



catfgt an mn in an 

brought together and bound together in the bonds 
of a common symapthy, peace, and love. 

Nothing less than the coming of the Son of 
God, the shedding of his precious blood could 
subdue the evil passions and prejudices that pre- 
vailed, and restore the brotherhood of man. 

The nearer the individual gets to Christ the 
more does he love his fellowmen, and especially 
those who are of the household of faith. 

Multitudes of men to-day are seeking after 
God, "Feeling after him if haply they may find 
him. ,, Christ is seeking men — seeking to draw 
them unto himself, and to bring them together 
in pure and lasting peace, harmony, love, and 
unity of the Spirit. 

XV. 

CHRIST THE HOPE OF THE WORLD. 

The hope of the world centers in Christ. He 
is the only hope of a restored nature and of a 
renewed humanity. All other hopes pale, fade, 
and pass away. 

Jesus Christ is the only hope of a new earth 
where all sin shall be purged out, and where that 
Kingdom which is righteousness, and peace, and 
joy in the Holy Ghost shall be everywhere es- 
tablished. Only by his grace and power can 
fallen humanity be raised up into newness of 
life. 

133 



Cferf0t 311 ana In mi 

Civilizations, kingdoms, nations without Christ 
and his religion upon which to lean, fall, decay, 
and disappear. Individuals, too, without Christ 
and his religion, miserably fail and perish. 

The fatalism of the Mohammedan, the pas- 
sivity of the Buddhist, the vain seeking of other 
heathen peoples are indications of that lack of 
hope which is so bright and buoyant in the Chris- 
tian. But upon these myriads sitting in the 
region of darkness and despair, "Without God, 
and having no hope in the world/' is the light 
of hope beginning to dawn. The day breaks, 
the Sun of righteousness is rising, the sleepers 
are awakening to a brighter and a better day. 
The truth is making its way among them that 
only in Christ, and in Christianity is there hope. 

Jesus Christ is the only hope of a hopeless 
world; the only hope of a hopeless soul. He 
is the guiding Star in this world of darkness 
and despair. He is the "Pillar of fire" to the 
heavenward traveler to the journey's end. 

Without the life of Christ, no perfect example ; 
without his death, no salvation; without his 
spiritual presence, no spiritual life, and health, 
and peace. Without Christ, therefore, no hope — 
no hope for time, no hope for eternity ; no hope 
for the life that now is, no hope for the life that 
is yet to come. The hope of eternal life centers 
in Christ. Living without Christ, therefore, 
means dying without hope. 

Christ is the hope of glory, and the glory of 

134 



Cfmst ail ana an an 

hope. His cross is the key of paradise, where 
hope has its full fruition. 

Strong consolation have they "who have fled 
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before 
us; which hope we have as an anchor of the 
soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth 
into that within the vail ; whither the forerunner 
is for us entered, even Jesus" (Hebrews, 6:19 
and 20). 

XVI. 

CHRIST IN GLORY. 

Having humbled himself and become obedient 
unto death, even the death of the cross, Christ 
hath been given a name which is above every 
name ; and hath been highly exalted even to the 
throne of Godhead, seated at the right hand of 
God the Father Almighty, the place of honor 
and power ; and is crowned with majesty and 
glory. Holy angels are his ministers, doing his 
pleasure. His humanity, which he wears as a 
garment, adds new luster to his glory, and the 
work he accomplished for men in his life and 
death upon the earth adds a halo of splendor, 
more intense and brilliant far than that of the 
sun, and from which stream those rays of light 
that penetrate even to the dark places of earth. 
He is the center and source of all heavenly, as 
of all true earthly, glory. In the heavenly place 
to which he has gone and where his honor dwell- 

135 



gjtjg an jgtg in an 

eth, there is no need of the sun, nor of the 
moon, nor of the stars. "The Lamb is the light 
thereof." And all heaven is filled with the ef- 
fulgence of his glory. 

Christ is the second Person, the central figure 
of the Godhead. God, the Father, is high and 
lifted up, invisible, whom no man hath seen, nor 
can see. Moses prayed that he might see God, 
but the Lord said unto him, "No man can see 
my face and live;" and Moses must be content 
to see his back parts, his shadow, after he had 
passed by. Clouds and darkness are round about 
him. Great and awful is his name. Let all 
the earth fear and keep silence before him. Yet 
withal he has a father's heart, a father's sym- 
pathy, a father's love, a father's care for all the 
creatures of his hand; and is ever busied mak- 
ing all things work together for good to them 
that love him. 

God, the Spirit, is invisible. His is the still, 
small voice; the secret influence upon the soul; 
the quiet, guiding, directing force in the affairs 
of men, moving the hearts of men, regenerating, 
sanctifying, energizing, making fruitful. 

God, the Son, however, is God manifest in 
the flesh ; God revealed ; God come down to men, 
and made known to them. He is the Mediator 
between God and man; the Redeemer; the 
Saviour from sin, and eternal death, and hell; 
the Captain of his people in their battle with sin 
and Satan ; their Leader into the promised land ; 
their Companion and Friend in this present life 

136 



ctmst an ano an an 

and through all the life to come. He is their 
Good Shepherd, leading them in green pastures 
and beside still waters. He is the Door, or en- 
trance way, into the heavenly place. All who 
enter there must enter through him. He is the 
Vine, to which all his people cling, and are joined 
by a close and living union, partaking of his very 
life. He is the Way, the way all must take 
who would reach the celestial city. He is the 
Truth, the very fountain of all truth. All truth 
centers in him, and flows from him as the stream 
from the fountain. He is the Life, the origin 
of all life — mineral, vegetable, insect, fish, bird, 
animal, human life. Above all, he is the source 
of all spiritual and eternal life. He carries the 
keys — the keys of heaven and of hell, and locks 
and unlocks as he will. The key of earth, too, 
is at his girdle, and he shuts and opens as he 
pleases, admitting to life and calling from this 
mortal life according to his own good pleasure. 
He is the Creator and Maker of all things, both 
terrestrial and celestial. "Without him was not 
anything made that was made." 

It is in the name of Jesus Christ that the sin- 
ner comes to God for pardon, and salvation, and 
peace, and hope. It is in his name alone that 
sinful man can approach the All-holy God in 
prayer and praise. It is through him, as the 
channel, through which all the gifts and graces of 
the Spirit flow. It is through his merit and in- 
tercession alone that the penitent sinner is for- 
given and saved ; that the prayers of God's chil- 

137 



Ctmst ail anD an ail 

dren are heard and answered, and their praises 
go up as sweet smelling incense acceptable unto 
the Lord. It is through his sacrificial death that 
atonement has been made for sin, and the way 
opened for reconciliation with God, from whom 
the sinner by his sins has been separated. The 
exaltation of Jesus is the result of his humilia- 
tion and sacrifice on behalf of the sons of men 
(Philippians, 2:5-11). 

The crown of thorns, the crown of ignominy 
and shame has long since been replaced by the 
many crowns he wears in the heavenly place to- 
day — the crowns of power, of universal domin- 
ion, of honor, of grace, of blessing, of glory. He 
is King of kings, Lord of lords, God blessed 
forever. 

The glory of Christ blends and becomes one 
with that of the Father and the Holy Spirit, for 
he is "the same in substance, equal in power and 
glory" with the Father and the Holy Ghost. The 
glory of the one Person of the adorable Trinity 
is shared by each of the others, so that the glory 
of Christ becomes also the glory of the Father 
and of the Spirit; and their glory becomes his 
also. 

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and 
to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, 
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 
Amen." 

And let all the people say, Amen, and Amen. 

138 



BROADWAY PUBLISHING CO'S 
NEWEST BOOKS 

All Bound in Silk Cloth and Gilt. Many Illustrated 
Fiction 

The Eyes at the Window (beautifully bound, with 

embossed jacket) — Olivia Smith Cornelius Si .50 

Next-Night Stories — C. J. Messer 1.25 

Arthur St. Clair of Old Fort Recovery— S. A. D. 

Whipple 1 . 50 

Barnegat Yarns — F. A. Lucas 1 . 00 

Jean Carroll, with six illustrations — John H. Case 1 . 50 

As a Soldier Would — Abner Pickering 1 . 50 

The Nut-Cracker, and Other Human Ape Fables — 

C. E. Blanchard, M.D 1 .00 

Moon-Madness, and Other Fantasies — Aimee 

Crocker Gouraud (5th ed.) 1 .00 

Sadie, or Happy at Last — May Shepherd 1 . 50 

Tweed, a Story of the Old South — S. M. Swales. . 1 . 50 
The White Rose of the Miami— Mrs. E. W. 

Ammerman 1 . 50 

The Centaurians — Biagi 1 . 50 

The Reconstruction of Elinore Wood — Florenz S. 

Merrow 1 . 50 

A Nest of Vipers — Morgan D. Jones 1 .50 

Religious Works 

The Disintegrating Church — Frederick William 

Atkinson 1 .00 

Evolution of Belief — J. W. Gordon 1 . 50 

Down Hill and Up Hill — Rev. J. G. Anderson . . 2 . 00 

A Certain Samaritan — Rev. John Richelsen 1 .00 

The Reunion of Christendom — Francis Goodman 1 . 50 
What the Church Is and What It Should Be— 

Lafayette Swindle 1 . 50 

A Harp of the Heart. (Poems) — Rev. Chas. 

Coke Woods 1 .00 

The Gospel Parables in Verse — Rev. Christopher 

Smith .75 

Who? Whence? Where? An Essay by Pedro 

Batista 1 . 00 

Compendium of Scriptural Truths — Marshall 

Smith . 1 .25 

The Passion Play at Ober Ammergau — Esse Esto 

Maplestone 1 .00 

Israel Lo Ammi — Ida M. Nungasser 1 .00 



The Eternal Evangel — Solomon S. Hilscher $i .50 

A New Philosophy of Life — J. C. Coggins 1 .00 

Romance of the Universe — B. T. Stauber 1 . 50 

In the Early Days — Adelaide Hickox 1 . 50 

The New Theology — By a Methodist Layman — 
Hamilton White 1 .00 

Miscellaneous 

Anvil Sparks — Radical Rhymes and Caustic 

Comments, by Wilby Heard 75 

The Medical Expert and Other Papers — Louis J. 

Rosenberg 50 

The Little Sufferers (dealing with the Abuses of 

the Children's Societies) — G. Martin 1 . 50 

Eureka, a Prose Poem — S. H. Newberry 1 . 00 

Rust (a play in four acts) — Algernon Tassin (of 

Columbia University) 1 . 00 

Poems by Charles Guinness 1 .00 

Prohibition and Anti-Prohibition — Rommel, 

Ziegler & Herz 1 . 00 

Gay pods and Merry Mortals — Verse by Robert J. 

Shores 1 .00 

The Rubaiyat of the College Student — Ned Nafe .50 
The Deluge of England, and Other Poems — James 

Francis Thierry 1 .00 

The Dragon's Teeth — a Philosophical and Eco- 
nomic Work — T. M. Sample 1 .00 

Achsah, the Sister of Jairus — Mabel Cronise 

Jones 1 . 00 

The Marriage Bargain Counter — Daisy Deane . . 1 . 50 
Building a New Empire — Nathaniel M. Ayers. . 1.50 

Marriage and Divorce — Jeanette Laurance 1 .00 

The Clothespin Brigade — Clara L. Smiley 75 

"Forget It" — Ida Von Claussen 1 .50 

The Last Word: a Philosophical Essay — James 

and Mary Baldwin 1 .00 

Travel 

Eight Lands in Eight Weeks (illustrated by 90 
drawings) — Marcia P. Snyder v 1 .25 

Eliza and Etheldreda in Mexico — Patty Guthrie 
(illustrated) 1 .25 

The attention of clergymen is directed to our Religious List, one 
of the largest of any house in America. 

Write for free copy of our magazine, BOOK CHAT. 

BROADWAY PUBLISHING CO., 835 BROADWAY, N. Y. 

Branch Offices: 

ATLANTA BALTIMORE INDIANAPOLIS NORFOLK 

WASHINGTON DES MOINES, IOWA 



DEC i-. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: July 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township. PA 16066 
{724)779-2111 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



DEC 



14 



^0 



r 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 477 833 9 







































' '! ' : • ; : ! ; : :!|S«H5ll5t 








tpi 1 


1 


liihli 




M :r!mj| |l?i 


is 








nil 






. '. ' l' " /'"J- 


. ' . ;, 1 


1 


11 


|*5 


!:' 


1 


iimmiiiiiiiiiiijB 


• . ; ■ j;|;:i||!{{: 


• 


ill 


tilt 
ijji 




M 


j $ ill! " 














ij{ffip|;hi!;jSt|?;!!li; 



